Transparency and Responsibility – the ESC Presidium work style

Frankfurt am Main. The first in-person meeting of the newly elected ESC Presidium took place with a clear focus on the present moment and the steps ahead.

The discussion centred on where the Confederation stands today and what needs to be done to grow and improve throughout the year. The main message of the meeting was clear: to move from decisions to their practical implementation.

A focus of the meeting was the distribution of responsibilities within the Presidium. Each of its 16 members received clearly defined areas of responsibility – ranging from competitions and technical matters to education, development, and cooperation with organisers and international bodies.

György Nagy is responsible for media and public relations, overseeing communication and public engagement activities. Vessela Letcheva is in charge of liaison with the EOC, National Olympic Committees, and the IOC. Nino Salukvadze and Susana Pagara de Campos are responsible for Gender Equality and act as supervisors of discussion platforms, fostering dialogue within the shooting sport community.

Biserka Vrbek oversees Legal affairs, providing legal support and guidance for the Confederation’s activities. Hugues Senger is responsible for environment and sustainability, focusing on environmentally responsible and sustainable development. Emin Jafarov leads the modernisation and development of Shotgun disciplines, including the introduction and supervision of VAR.

Matters related to the organisation and coordination of European Championships are overseen by Meelis Loit. Tomasz Kwiecień is responsible for the coordination of multisport events, particularly those under the EOC framework.

The review of European and national shooting facilities, as well as material and technical support for national federations, is jointly overseen by Alexandros Dimakakos and Lucia Liliana Mahalache. Jordan Tasevski is responsible for the development of shooting sports in small countries, supporting growth and accessibility across Europe. Egbert IJzerman coordinates relations with the industry, strengthening cooperation with commercial and technical partners, while Bjørn Harald Vik oversees industry-related matters linked to lead use and supervises the 300m discipline.

The athletes’ perspective within the Confederation is represented by Silvana Maria Stanco, Chair of the ESC Athletes’ Committee, who serves as the key liaison between athletes and ESC leadership.

Explaining why this approach is important, ESC Vice President, Olympic medallist and member of the IOC Vessela Letcheva said:

“The portfolio assigned to me is extremely important for relations with the EOC, the IOC, and all members of the international Olympic Movement. The distribution of responsibilities among Presidium members gives all of us the opportunity to implement the ideas we were elected to carry forward.
Shooting sports have a permanent place in the Olympic programme, and our goal is to make it more attractive to audiences. This is an important challenge, both for me and for the ESC.”

The meeting then turned to the key events of 2026. A total of nine European Championships are scheduled for the year. For the first time, Bulgaria will host major ESC events, with the 10m European Championships for U16/U18 and U21 categories taking place there very soon. Armenia will also host ESC events for the first time, welcoming the 10m European Championship for senior athletes in Yerevan at the end of February.

The Presidium reviewed the preparation status of upcoming competitions, with particular attention on organisational quality: unified standards, clear coordination between the ESC, national federations, and organising committees. Issues related to qualification for the 4th European Games, preparation for the 2027 European Youth Olympic Festival, and the creation of coordination working groups were also discussed.

The ESC Development Grant Programme – an initiative presented in President Ratner’s election programme and supported by the General Assembly – has already moved into practical implementation.

ESC Secretary General Yahor Aleinik reported that the first 30 applications from national federations have been reviewed and that several projects requiring further evaluation and support have been identified. Mr Aleinik placed special emphasis on the targeted and transparent nature of the programme, which is designed to support the development of shooting sports across Europe.

One of the central topics of the meeting was a discussion on Good Governance – and how modern sports organisations should operate in practice. With input from a sports governance expert, the Presidium focused on transparency, clear responsibilities, effective internal processes, and long-term development.

Commenting on the discussion, ESC Presidium Member Jordan Tasevki said:

“Management of an organization plays a key role in deciding the direction in which it will develop. Overall, effective management of the ESC should combine sports knowledge, financial responsibility, and legal accountability. I have been actively involved in sports shooting for over 30 years, and I can say that European federations have never had better support from the ESC than they do now, as well as open, free, and transparent communication with the ESC leadership.”

Speaking about the practical changes in the Secretariat’s work, the Secretary General noted significant organisational updates aligned with Good Governance principles. The Confederation has strengthened key positions, allowing for better distribution of workload and clearer responsibility across different areas.

Planned developments include updates to the ESC website, improvements to the entry system, the organisation of educational programmes, and the introduction of updated standards for competition organisers. All of these changes aim to make the day-to-day work of the ESC more transparent, modern, and focused on practical results.

The Secretary General also presented the organization’s budget for 2026. Ms Letcheva noted that the figures and items in the document are clear and transparent. She also thanked the ESC sponsor for making it possible to hold in-person meetings, which make the working process more effective.

ESC Presidium member Hugues Senger, who has been elected to the Presidium more than once, pointed out positive changes in the way financial documents are prepared, saying that this makes the organization stronger.

This year begins for the ESC with many important tasks and a clear plan to support national federations. Defined responsibilities and readiness to act – this is how the Confederation starts a new stage of its work.

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