The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recently presented former European Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou with the “Women and Sports Award 2017.”

It is the first time a Cypriot candidate is chosen for this award, the Cyprus Olympic Committee says in a press release.

Vassiliou, the press release notes, has been honoured for her significant contribution in the promotion of EU policies aiming to establish equality in sports.

“Following her exceptional action as a Cypriot Member of Parliament, she continued her efforts in 2010 in the European Union, when she became responsible among others in her capacity as European Commissioner of Sports,” the press release points out.

She was a leading figure in the effort to shape EU policies insisting on equality issues, it adds.

Under her leadership such issues were reviewed more in depth both from the governments and the countries sports organisations, it says.

Vassiliou served between February 2008 and February 2010 as European Commissioner for Health and from February 2010 to November 2014 as European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism, Sport, Media and Youth.

Cypriot Permanent Representative in Geneva George Kasoulides received the award on her behalf.