House: Hrbekova Urges MPs to Support Slovak Athletes at Winter Olympics

Bratislava, 29 January (TASR) - Member of the International Olympic Committee in Slovakia Danka Hrbekova took the floor in Parliament on Thursday in connection with the departure of Slovak athletes for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Hrbekova called on MPs to support Slovak athletes at the upcoming Winter Olympics. She also thanked them for supporting athletes through the adoption of sports-supporting legislation. Hrbekova urged MPs to be fans not only of the successes of Slovak Olympians but also of their effort, fighting spirit and sportsmanship. She thanked MPs for playing a significant role in preparing athletes on their journey to the Olympics. "I'd like to thank you for preparing the legislative framework for the sports movement and for creating conditions providing maximum support for our athletes, including via the Sports Act, the law on the Sports Support Fund and other relevant regulations. We feel that you consider sport to be a very important element of our society," she said when addressing Parliament. Sport is one of the few things that unite our society, opined Hrbekova, who also serves as vice-president of the Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee. She noted that Slovakia will be represented by a relatively young team at the Winter Olympics. In addition to traditional sports such as ice-hockey and the biathlon, Slovaks will compete in the two-man bobsleigh, the women's doubles luge and ski cross. "For the first time in a long while, our athletes will also represent us in figure skating and ski jumping," she added. The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy will begin on 6 February. Slovakia will be represented by 52 athletes. The Olympics will run until 22 February. ko/df