The Estonian Olympic Academy (EOA) started its activities in 1989 as an independent organisation registered by the Estonian Olympic Committee. Since the merger of the Estonian Central Sports Association and the Estonian Olympic Committee (EOC), the status of the Estonian Olympic Academy has been defined as a permanently operating structural unit of the EOC. At present (from 2009), the Estonian Olympic Academy continues its activities as an independent non-governmental organization and a member of the Estonian Olympic Committee.
The shortest way to express the mission of the Estonian Olympic Academy is to say that it strives to promote the Olympic movement in Estonia mainly through dissemination of the general humanistic ideas of Olympism and completion of different Olympic education projects. The activities of the EOA are mainly aimed at children and young people, but initiation and promotion of academic discussion of significant issues of the Olympic movement that interest different generations is an inseparable part of this.
The philosophical basis of the Olympic movement – Olympism – was outlined by Baron Pierre de Coubertin. According to the Olympic Charter, the central idea of Olympism is the unity of the body, will and spirit and the need for harmonious development. By connecting sports with culture and education, Olympism strives for a way of life that is based on the joy found in effort, the educational influence of good examples and respect for values and general ethical principles. The Estonian Olympic Academy looks at sport from the principles of Olympism mainly as a cultural phenomenon in a common historic process.
The activities of the Estonian Olympic Academy are based on science. Our important tasks are mediation of scientific information about Olympism, preparation of Olympic athletes from Estonia to go abroad and from abroad to Estonia, and analysis of the preparation and performance of our athletes.
The Estonian Olympic Academy works in close cooperation with the International Olympic Academy, based in Olympia in Greece. Among National Olympic Academies, the Finnish Olympic Academy has been our most frequent partner in cooperation.