Ten years ago, the Kosovo Olympic Committee joined the International Olympic Committee (IOC). On this occasion, the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, is visiting Kosovo.

Bach said at the press conference that Kosovo is the best example of how great successes can be achieved in a very short time.

He emphasized that the Olympic medals that Kosovo has won with the sport of judo are proof of the commitment of the Olympic Committee of Kosovo in the development of sports in the country.

"These ten years have proven success stories in many aspects. Of course we have five Olympic medals that have been won, then in three Olympic Games Kosovo has participated in them and for this all the people of Kosovo can be very proud together with the National Olympic Committee because these successes do not come from the sky but it was a blessing tireless work", said Bach.

"I shook Majlinda Kelmendi's hand in 2015. It was a very special moment for me and I certainly look forward to seeing her tonight, hugging her and sharing some good memories of her great triumph and which will be a very emotional moment for me," added Bach.

On the other hand, the president of the European Olympic Committee, Spyros Capralos, congratulating the leaders of the Olympic Committee on this anniversary, emphasized that Kosovo scored another great success last year when it won the right to organize the Mediterranean Games in 2030.

According to him, this will be another moment for Kosovo to advance even further in sports, especially by building new sports infrastructure but also to promote new disciplines of different sports.

"For your achievements, I want to congratulate you for the ten years of being in our movement and for all the successes you have had not only in sports with five Olympic medals but also for the Kosovo Olympic Committee which has actively participated in every event that we have organized... You will host the Mediterranean Games in 2030, this is important, a new law has been approved, it will help in the construction of the infrastructure, the organization of this event", emphasized Capralos

While the president of the Olympic Committee of Kosovo, Ismet Krasniqi, emphasized that in these ten years, all the successes achieved were also thanks to the support and cooperation with international sports institutions. 

"If we had not been successful in these ten years that we are proud of today with ten medals achieved in the Olympic Games and many medals in the Mediterranean Games and many medals in the World and European Games, this 10th anniversary would not have been magnificent, but we have convinced the entire sports community that we love sports and can achieve everything when we are united", declared Krasniqi.

Before the press conference. President Bach also met the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti. From this meeting, Bach said that he was excited about the plans that the government has to support the development of sports infrastructure in Kosovo.