Tjaša Andrea Prosenc, who became the first honorary member in the history of OKS, was the first to congratulate Franjo Bobinac on his new mandate. Photo: Luka Cjuha
Franjo Bobinac was given a new four-year mandate
After 67-year-old Franjo Bobinac was the only candidate for president of the Olympic Committee of Slovenia – Association of Sports Confederations (OKS), he was given a new four-year mandate for the period until 2030 at the assembly in Ljubljana. There was also only one candidate for each of the positions of vice presidents. OKS is in good financial condition, as it will have a record budget this year.
“The fact that I don’t have an opponent can also be taken as support for our work so far,” he said Franjo Bobinacwhen he learned that he would not have an opponent at the election assembly. He got one hundred percent of the votes in a secret electronic vote. He especially emphasized that the predictions about a large increase in funds for sports at the national level have come true. In the last three years, they increased from 22 million to 64 million euros. The increase in funds is also related to the fact that sport has passed from the school to the Ministry of Economy. He pointed out that, together with the team, he wants to direct the country to become the most sporting nation in the world, not only in terms of top results on an international scale, but also in terms of an active lifestyle for all generations. He promised continued cooperation with the Slovenian economy and tourism.
From musician to successful businessman
Bobinac first became OKS president in 2022 after a three-way battle in which he defeated Janez Sodržnik and Tomaž Barada after a campaign that was extremely dirty. He is an experienced businessman, sports official and diplomat with extensive international experience. During his student years, he made a living from music (singing, playing guitar and piano) and released two records. After completing his studies in international economic relations at the Faculty of Economics in Ljubljana, he obtained a master’s degree in business sciences (MBA) in Paris. He spent most of his career as a businessman in Gorenje in leading positions, which is why he was one of the most exposed Slovenian businessmen in the 21st century. When Gornje merged with the Chinese multinational Hisense, he was appointed vice president of Hisense International. He became the first non-Chinese businessman to be given the opportunity to co-manage a Chinese company. He received numerous recognitions and awards for his work in the economy.
He built his career as a sports official gradually. Considering the environment he comes from and in which he worked as a businessman, it is logical that he was first the president of the Gorenje Handball Club from Velenje. For 14 years, from 2008 to 2022, he was the president of the Handball Association of Slovenia (RZS). Under his leadership, the RZS proved itself by organizing major international competitions, and the biggest sporting success was the bronze medal of the men’s national team at the 2017 World Championship in France.
Even before he became the president of OKS, he was well acquainted with the organization of its activities. Between 2014 and 2018, he was the chairman of the marketing committee, and since 2018 also a member of the executive committee. He works on the marketing and marketing committees of the European Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee. He suffered a painful defeat in the sports field last December, when he was running for president of the International Handball Federation (IHF). At the electoral congress, he received only 24 votes, while the 81-year-old Egyptian Hasan Mustafa, who has been at the head of the organization since 2000, won with 129 votes.
Continuity of previous work in other functions as well
Even with other important functions of the OKS, it is a matter of continuity of the previous work, since there was only one candidate for each. The sports association of Ravne na Koroškem proposed Miran Kos as the president of the expert council of sport for all. Metod Ropret, at the proposal of the Volleyball Federation of Slovenia, became the president of the professional council for top sports. Both were in this role already in the previous term. Luka Steiner, who replaced Enzo Smrekar as president of the Skiing Association of Slovenia, became president of the Committee for Economy and Finance. Katja Koren will continue to be vice president for athletes and Olympic values in OKS. The Olympic Club will continue to be led by Iztok Čop, and the athletes’ committee by former judoka Raša Sraka Vuković.
OKS is in good financial condition. After expenses amounted to 10.36 million euros and revenues to 10.4 million euros last year, the budget for this year is a record – 12.76 million euros. Bobinac emphasized that they managed not only to replace some existing partners, but also to increase sponsorship funds.
