The Cyprus National Olympic Academy held its 30th Session with "Athletes as Role Models" as the core topic ©COC

The Cyprus National Olympic Academy held its 30th Session with "Athletes as Role Models" as the core topic.

More than 200 officials, coaches, athletes, students and journalists gathered for the event at Olympic House in Nicosia.

Special guests included Kostas Champiaouris, the Minister of Education and Culture in Cyprus, and Kostas Champiaouris, an advisor on sport to the President.

Lozan Mitev, the director of the National Olympic Academy of Bulgaria, was among oversees attendees.

Greek hurdler Periklis Iakovakis, the European champion over 400 metres in 2006, was among speakers.

More than 200 people attended the discussions in Cyprus ©Getty Images
More than 200 people attended the discussions in Cyprus ©Getty Images

Iakovakis, the chair of the European Athletics Athletes' Committee, spoke about the future for athletes after their sporting careers.

Paraskevi Lioupi, a professor at Peloponnese University, talked about how athletes can convey Olympic values to youth while Chrysanthos Chrysanthou, the director of the Cyprus Olympic Library, compared today's athletes with those from Ancient Greece.

Participants had been welcomed by Dinos Michaelides, the President of both the Academy and the Cyprus Olympic Committee.