"It's something we at the BOA are very concerned about," said Moynihan after he had been elected to the Executive Committee of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) at the body's annual meeting in Lisbon.
 

"We are going to be making representations on this issue over the next week or so, led by our chief executive, Andy Hunt.

 

"Our winter sports have conceded a great deal in support of the London 2012 bid in terms of signing their rights away to make sure that LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games) can get maximum commercial value from the Olympic rings.

 

"We want to be just as supportive to them."

Moynihan was third in the ballot to elect 12 from 19 candidates to the Executive Committee, his total of 36 votes being just one short of the joint winners from Spain and Poland.

 

Ireland’s Pat Hickey was unanimously re-elected President of the EOC.

 

Hickey will serve another four year term until 2013, including London 2012.

 

Hickey, President of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI), is the sole Irish member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and is the highest ranked Irish administrator in the world of international sport.

 

All of the EOC's 49 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) voted.
 

As the only Briton on the committee – Sir Craig Reedie, newly elected to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC's) Executive Committee, is stepping down - Moynihan, the 1980 Olympic rowing silver medallist, is looking forward to forming a vital link between Europe’s NOCs and LOCOG in the crucial period before the 2012 Games.
 

"I am honoured, and delighted most of all for the BOA as a whole," said Moynihan jubilantly as he bustled his way down to the end of a bus at the end of the first day of the meeting.

 

"It is a crucial time for Europe with the 2012 an 2014 Olympic Games being hosted on our continent.
 

"This vote gives me the opportunity to work very closely with each of the European NOCs  in the run-up to the 2012 London Games.
 

"The EOC Executive Committee acts as a sounding board for their concerns and is a voice for them with the IOC, ANOC (Association of National Olympic Committees) and LOCOG."

Moynihan added that there had been no discussions about the European Games so far in the two-day meeting.

 

"I know that is an idea that has been floated," he said.

 

"But we already have a very good European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) and I for one am happy with that.
 

"Reaching out to younger generations was a main theme throughout today’s discussions – the same message that came out so strongly from last month’s IOC Congress in Copenhagen – and I strongly endorse it."
 

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]