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How did the idea of a circuit start ?

The EAP circuit is simply the outcome of an original idea, a project, an ideology initially shared by three people who met by chance.

Pablo Cassina was put in contact with Giorgio Ferrando, by one of his (a bit crazy) fans, Mr. Gianluigi Miglierina, who told him that, in Italy there was a good person who had similar ideas. So Pablo wrote an invitation to Giorgio and a group of athletes attended to the second Geneva meet, in 1987. At the end of the meet, Girogio introduced himself and a strong friendship beagn immediately. "For sure, we will be back next year !" he told him.

Earlier that same year, Pablo who at that time was head coach of the Training and Education Centre in Geneva, was on a Easter camp in South of France (Sophia Antipolis) where the whole club of Nivelles (BEL) was also training there. Pablo approached the head coach, Mr Noël Levêque, and presented his meet. Noël also informed him that he also was the meet director of the international meet of Nivelles. Noël ensured to come to Geneva with his best athletes. And so he did.

So Noël, Giorgio and Pablo finally meet together at the Geneva meet in 1987 and again in 1989. The idea of a circuit started, around the swimming-pool of the Hotel "Mercure", just before going to the meeting. Actually, the three were already participating in each other meet, but the manager of the Racing Club de Paris (Mr Jean-Claude Dufloux) who was looking for competitions opportunities for his huge group of athletes, suggested that we created a circuit with our meets (Belgium, Italy and Switzerland). This would highly facilitate the participation of his group of athletes.

And it all simply started like that: 3 enthusiastic friends sharing the same idea. Let's do it !

During that year, we contacted other organisers and in 1990 we decided to meet all of us at the occasion of European indoor Championships, Genova (ITA) where we had our fist Convention. Noël proposed to call it: "Europe Athlétisme Promotion" and on the same evening we already had our first banner (!) that we could stick it on a dedicated stand.

We had the following 8 members:

• Antwerp (BEL)
• Celle Ligure (ITA)
• Diekirch (LUX)
• Geneva (SWI)
• Haringey (UK)
• Nivelles (BEL)
• Palafrugell (ESP)
• Rehlingen (GER)

The EAP was born, from and with athletics ehthousiasts, in the pure tradition and respect of the rules but having a strong spirit of independence. It was clear since the beginning, that we would always support only clean athletes and fair organisations. Noël Levêque, alos proposed the logo symbolizing united Europe (the triangle stands for Nivelles, Celle Ligure and Geneva).

We decided that Noël Levêque would be our president. He was the one who, more aged,  had more experience. Giorgio and Pablo were nomitaed vice-presidents. The circuit has grown very quickly, conquering new countries and still receiving the full support of the organisers and participants. And the original idea remained the same: to promote athletics.

So much so that the federations have tacitly recognized us, integrated into their calendars, their selection dates. Where to find strong foreign competition, identical reception conditions for all athletes, a high-level technical organisation? The EAP circuit concentrates all of this, with a lot of passion and generally little money.  And it is perhaps thanks to this independence that the circuit continues to develop and garner praise.

The founders

• Noël Levêque, Nivelles (B)
• Giorgio Ferrando, Celle Ligure (I)
• Pablo Cassina, Geneva (CH)

The founding members defined the guidelines, the fundamental principles which govern the original idea of ​​the EAP circuit. They have drawn up the EAP Manual in which are described the bases of operation and collaboration between organisations, the rights and duties of each member and provides the necessary information concerning the method of calculating internal reimbursements.

The validity and respect of these principles and rules are discussed each year by the Convention.

2021: the EAP becomes an association !

After 31 years, EAP is finally an association, formalizing a long history of ideals made up of values ​​on how to develop athletics in Europe.

On the night of November 5 to 6, 2021, before the annual convention, the founders met to discuss the constitutional principles of the new association, under the leadership of its president Pablo Cassina who saw it as an important, essential and urgent step for the development of the circuit, thus providing it with a legal institutional framework.

Signatories of this new association are:

• President: Mr. Pablo Cassina
• Vice-president: Mr. Giorgio Ferrando
• Vice-president: Ms. Micheline Smeets
• Vice-president: Mr. Jospe Massa Roura
• Interim honorary Secretary: Mr. Norman Saliba
• Interim honorary Treasurer: Mr. Josep Massa Roura
• Head of QMP: Ms. Tímea Téglássy
• Head of the Code of Conduct: Mr. Norman Saliba
• Council, member of OCC: Mr. Richard Hunter
• Head of Sector 1 EAP Elite: Mr. Pablo Cassina
• Head of Sector 2 EAP Future: Mr. Lodovico Meliga
• Head of Sector 3 EAP Together: Mr. Giorgio Ferrando
• Head of Sector 4 EAP Running: vacant
• Head of Sector 5 EAP Masters: vacant