Those who have ever been to the Olympic Games will surely confirm that its unique atmosphere, peculiar traditions and people's gethering thrill you so much that everything around you becomes part of your life not just for the moment, but forever. A marvelous invention of the ancient Greeks, the Olympic games, is a time of triumph, of peace and of the best in human qualities. These competitions are undoubtedly considered to be the most significant one, and the Olympic medal being the highest reward for every athlete. Millions of spectators in front of their TVs unite in their feelings with other fans and participants of the Olympics.
The Olympics have been converted into Oleg Vorontsov's life, and his greatest passion as well. He was already fascinated by them in his childhood, at the age of nine. He was interested in different objects with Olympic logos, mainly in pins which were so popular then. And his mother supported him in this undertaking which turned out to be crucial. Oleg's collection has grown gradually, together with his interest in everything concerning the Olympic movement.
Then, after Oleg graduated from the International Relations and International Economy faculty of the Kiev State University with an honor degree in International economic relations and defended his PhD thesis, he was invited many times to teach economy in Ireland, Finland and the USA. After moving to Spain he started his own trading business. Being active, ambitious and speaking seven foreign languages helped him acquire a lot of new business connections, contacts and friends all over the world.
Meanwhile his collection of Olympic memorabilia, different artifacts produced especially for the Olympic games, became notable internationally. And in 1993, Oleg took an active part in the creating of the specific Olympic collectors commission within the International Olympic Committee. The idea was generated by Juan Antonio Samaranch, president of the IOC at that time, who was also chairman of this commission. Since 1999 Oleg Vorontsov has been the president of the European Society of Olympic Collectors. Being one of the biggest collectors and owners of the Olympic rarities, he has one of the most important collections of the olympic memorabilia. Oleg organized exhibitions of his collection many times (Kiev, Barcelona, Madrid), and also took part in many exhibitions, related to the Olympics. He received a bronze medal of the "Olymphilex-92" exhibition (Barcelona), a medal of honor of the Olympic exhibition in Budapest (1995), a silver medal of the "Olymphilex-96" exhibition (Atlanta), a medal of honor of the "Olymphilex-2002" exhibition in Salt Lake City.
Besides collecting, he is seriously interested in the history of the Olympic games and even published 3 monographs on this theme. A particularly interesting one is the edition about the First Russian Olympics in Kiev in 1913, which is the most complete study of this event. All these books you can find on the site in the "Publications" section. Oleg Vorontsov has been a member of the International Society of Olympic Historians since 1995. Due to his publications and research of the history of the Olympics Oleg Vorontsov made an invaluable contribution to the Olympic movement.
Another his activity in the Olympic movement and in sport is creating and accomplishing of different marketing programmes with National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of CIS countries and some others (Mongolia, Guinea Equatorial). After the USSR breakup, all the former republics found themselves in a difficult position, as they have had to organize all the sports and marketing for the Olympic games from zero level. Oleg Vorontsov created and then carried through a number of projects to support the NOCs in getting ready for the Olympics. He had to find out and than negotiate with sponsors and afterwards accomplish those projects with different international corporations.
Original works on the Olympic Movement:
Olympic Medals Reference Guide (together with Jim Lally and Jim Greensfelder)
1998 - First edition (published in Madrid, Spain);
2008 - Second edition (published in Mandarin Chinese, China);
2008 - Second edition (published in English in the USA).
2006 - The First Russian Olympics, 1913, Kiev ("Phyzkultura i Sport"/"Physical Culture and Sport") (at the moment Oleg Vorontsov is working on the second volume of the book about the Second Russian Olympics in Riga, 1914)
2004 - Article about the 1980 Moscow Olympics Torch in the magazine of the International Society of Olympic Historians.
Oleg Vorontsov participated in the following exhibitions:
1986 - Kiev
1992 - Barcelona ("Olymphilex"-92)
1994 - Paris (during the IOC Congress)
1995 - Budapest ("Olymphilex"-95)
1995 - Barcelona (Creation of "La Caixa")
1996 - Atlanta ("Olymphilex"-96)
2002 - Salt Lake City ("Olymphilex"-92)
2005 - Madrid
The marketing programmes for National Olympic Committees of the CIS countries which were carried through between 1992 and 2006:
Uzbekistan
1996 - General Management to create the Museum of Olympic Glory in Tashkent and assistance in creating the Museum collection
1996-2006 - Creation of marketing programmes for the NOC sponsors and assistance in organizing the events under the auspices of the IOC
2000-2006 - General sales agent for the NOC of the Republic of Uzbekistan
2002, 2004, 2006 - Oleg Vorontsov was nominated as the Chief of Mission of the Uzbekistan olympic team
Belarus
2004-2006 - General sales agent for the NOC of the Republic of Belarus
Turkmenistan
2002-2006 - General sales agent for the NOC of Turkmenistan
Kazakhstan
2002-2004 - General sales agent for the NOC of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
1998-2006 - Creation of marketing programmes for the NOC sponsors and assistance in organizing the events under the auspices of the IOC
2000-2004 - General sales agent for the NOC of Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan
1996-2006 - Creation of marketing programmes for the NOC sponsors and assistance in organizing the events under the auspices of the IOC
Georgia
2002 -2004 - General sales agent for the NOC of Georgia
Moldova
2002 - General sales agent for the NOC of Moldova
Equatorial Guinea
2004 - General sales agent for the NOC of Guinea Equatorial
Mongolia
2002-2006 - General sales agent for the NOC of Mongolia
Besides that, in 2001-2006 Oleg Vorontsov assisted the NOCs of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in activities relating to the work of the Olympic Council of Asia and the Asian Games.