Association of the Balkan
Athletics Federations
ABAF
Balkan Athletics
History
First “experimental” Balkan Games 1929
Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia.
These are the first regional athletics competitions in
Europe
Turkey joined from next year on
Balkan Athletics
Administration
Officially renewed registration in 2011 with
headquarters in Sofia, Bulgaria
New logo, new vision,
striving to new horizons
Balkan Athletics Member Federations
16 Member Federations in 2016
GE
O
R
G
I
A
BULGARIA
GREECE
MOLDOVA
TURKEY
BOSNIA AND
HERZEGOVINA
MONTENEGRO
SERBIA
GEORGIA
SLOVENIA
FYR MACEDONIA
ARMENIA
CYPRUS
ALBANIA
ROMANIA
CROATIA
ISRAEL
Structure of Balkan Athletics
GE
O
R
G
I
A
CONGRESS
PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL
EXECUTIVE BOARD
PRESIDENT
President Dobromir Karamarinov
Vice President Fatih Cintimar
Vice President
Slobodan Brankovic Finance & Marketing Director
Ion Sandu General Secretary
Galia Puhaleva
Balkan Athletics Championships
GE
O
R
G
I
A
10 Balkan Championships
held every year
Senior
Indoor
Junior
Indoor Junior
Youth
Cross Country
Race Walking
Marathon
Half Marathon
Mountain Running
Balkan Athletics activities
GE
O
R
G
I
A
Balkan Congress every year, hosted by one of the Member
Federations
Balkan Athletics activities
GE
O
R
G
I
A
Athletics in Schools Seminar
2013 Teteven BUL
Anti Doping Seminar
2014 Pravets BUL
Media Seminar
2014 Pitesti ROU
Course for Measurers
2014 Athens GRE
Strategic Development
Seminar 2016 Tel Aviv ISR
Five Balkan members in European Athletics Council
European Athletics 1st Vice President
Dobromir Karamarinov
European Athletics Council Member
Munir Yaras
European Athletics Council Member
Gregor Bencina
European Athletics Council Member
Panagiotis Dimakos
European Athletics Council Member
Gabriela Szabo
Balkan Athletics
Partnership Agreements
GE
O
R
G
I
A
Gulf Countries Council (GCC)
Asian Athletics Association
Balkan Athletics Gala
Balkan Athlete of the Year Awards
Balkan Rising Star of the Year Awards
2011 Pravets BUL
2012 Aranjelovac SRB
2013 Yerevan ARM
2014 Bucharest ROU
2015 Tbilisi GEO
2016 Dubai UAE
Financial Support by ABAF
GE
O
R
G
I
A
Administration Grant (started from 2012)
Travel expenses for two Delegates per MF
for Congress & Gala
Balkan Athletics
Balkans as one Team
DecaNation 2013 & 2014
Balkan Athletics
Balkans as one Team
ABAF-GCC 10km Road Race match, Dubai 2015
Balkan Athletics
New ideas on the Balkans
BALKANATION 2014 Ljubljana 2015 Velenje
Medals won by Balkan athletes from
World Championships
2015 Beijing
GE
O
R
G
I
A
5 medals
Blanka Vlasic CRO Silver medal in HJ
Sandra Perkovic CRO Silver medal in DT
Amel Tuka BIH Bronze medal in 800m
Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou GRE Bronze medal in PV
Ivana Spanovic SRB Bronze medal in LJ
Medals won by Balkan athletes from
World Championships
2016 Portland
GE
O
R
G
I
A
6 medals
Ivana Spanovic SRB Silver medal in LJ
Andrei Gag ROU Silver medal in SP
Filip Mihalevic CRO Bronze medal SP
Ekaterini Stefanidi GRE Bronze medal in PV
Paraskevi Papahristou GRE Bronze medal TJ
4 x 400 women ROU Bronze medal
Provides opportunities for the athletes to compete on the
international stage.
Regional competitions are the link between the National
and top level International events.
Balkan Athletics Association
Growing stronger through the years.
Creates friendships and brotherhood in true integrity.
Serves the Athletes as they are our most important value.
Balkan Athletics Association
Association of Balkan Athletic Federations
THANK YOU !