Former athletics chief to run for olympic committee top spot
Sports official Erich Teigamägi has confirmed his bid for Estonian Olympic Committee (EOK) president at the planned elections in June.
Teigamägi is a former Estonian Athletics Association (Eesti Kergejõustikuliit) president. The EOK top spot would be "a difficult position to step into, but I believe it is possible to create clarity and working peace."
"I am running because I am a passionate fan of Estonian sport and want to put my experience to work for the entire system," he added, noting he was motivated to run by broad-based support among various sports federations and enthusiasts.
The EOK needs unity, he added. "As a small country, we have never had enough resources in sport to keep everyone satisfied. That does not mean we should set low ambitions."
In the current situation, sport needs a stable working environment and clear leadership, he added, and only this would bring the capability of restoring trust in the eyes of sportspeople and supporters.
"Estonian sport does not need new trenches today. It needs someone capable of filling them in and getting the work moving," said Teigamägi, he went on.
Teigamägi said in recent weeks he had undergone dozens of discussions with federation leaders, coaches, athletes, and other people contributing to the development of Estonian sport.
"In the coming weeks, I will try to meet with as many members of the EOK as possible, in order to gain a full picture and present my program," Teigamägi continued.
The events of recent weeks have created a difficult situation in which decisions must be made within an unusually short time-frame and under an unclear framework, he claimed.
Teigamägi made his remarks following the controversial ousting of Kersti Kaljulaid as EOK president last month.
Teigamägi had also run for the EOK presidency in the fall of 2024, when Kaljulaid won the vote. He added he does not support the position of some sports federations that the elections scheduled for June 18 should be postponed, on the grounds this would lead to further unnecessary uncertainty.
Former Olympian Gerd Kanter is acting EOK leader following Kaljulaid's exit.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Siim Boikov
