The Lithuanian National Olympic Committee (LNOC) has been trying to help find the answers to these questions for five years by organising high-quality, free training courses that meet global standards. 

"Our training is of a very high quality and offers professional lecturers. This year we are traditionally offering administrative training courses: one course for coaches, one for managers, and an advanced sports management course to be held in the autumn. The latter course is particularly in-depth and lasts 10 days," said Agnė Vanagienė, LNOC Deputy Director for Olympic Sports. Only 20 participants are selected for each course, which ensures the quality of the training and the opportunity for participants to open up and reveal their talents, demonstrate their strengths, socialise and get to know others. "We give the participants with the tools, and it is up to them how much they will use them," she commented.

The coaches' training in April will focus on the psychological aspects of team building. "We will try to provoke them, put them in different uncomfortable situations so that they see themselves from a different perspective, that of the athletes," she stressed. "Other topics include communication and sports medicine, which we believe are very important and relevant topics for coaches. The Lithuanian Federation of Sports Medicine helps by presenting the latest knowledge," explained the training organiser.

"We will offer sports federations the opportunity to organise their technical training, with the support of the IOC Olympic Solidarity Programme. Our role here is more of a facilitator - to generate funds, to provide a monitoring mechanism to maintain the content and quality of the training," stated Vanagienė.

The New Miracle project, launched by the LNOC and implemented in cooperation with foreign partners, recently came to an end. The project aimed to promote women's leadership in sports organisations and improve their skills. The LNOC expects to receive funding for a new project aimed at creating a safe environment for athletes: "Together with the other European Olympic Committees, we will submit the new project to the European Commission in March. 

"A safe environment is particularly important at major sporting events, where there are many dangers that may not be visible to the naked eye. In some cases, acts of violence, bullying, and sexual harassment can only be detected by specially trained people," Vanagienė concluded.