The most successful athlete in Croatian history will lead the newly-formed Central State Office for Sports.
On Thursday, the government appointed Janica Kostelić, one of the best skiers in history, as the State Secretary of the Central State Office for Sports. At the same time, Kostelić was relieved of her current duty, which was Assistant Minister of Science, Education and Sports, reports Jutarnji List on November 10, 2016.
For the first time since independence, sports in Croatia will have its own separate department in the state administration. Until now, sport matters were covered by a department within the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports.
Government’s decision to found the Central State Office for Sports was welcomed by major sports associations, federations, clubs, athletes and sports officials, who have been trying for years to convince a series of different governments to establish a separate ministry or office for sports. The goal of the Central State Office for Sports will be to maintain and improve sports in Croatia, as well as to improve conditions for athletes and sports activities. The main task will be to prepare a long-term strategy for the development of sports, invest in a larger number of smaller sports facilities, promote sport activities, and redefine the position of professional and amateur sports clubs.
Janica Kostelić was born in 1982 in Zagreb. At her second Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002, she won gold medals in slalom, giant slalom and combined event, and a silver medal in super-G. She completed her impressive collection of Olympic medals at the Winter Olympics in Turin in 2006, where she won a gold medal in the combined event and a silver medal in the super-G. She is also a five time world champion in different skiing disciplines and only the third skier in history to have won World Cup races in all five skiing disciplines,. She won World Skiing Cup three times (2001, 2003, 2006). She was elected eight times as Croatia’s best female athlete of the year.
