Aldons Vrubleskis, President of the Latvian Olympic Committee, centre, presented the fourth volume of the Olympic Encyclopedia to European Olympics Committees Acting President Janez Kocijančič, left ©LOC

The Latvian Olympic Committee has published the fourth volume of its English-language Olympic Encyclopedia.

Aldons Vrubleskis, the governing body's President who initiated the project, presented a copy to the European Olympic Committees' Acting President Janez Kocijančič at the Association of National Olympic Committees General Assembly in the Czech capital Prague.

The first three volumes were published last year following research conducted by a team led by Olympic historian Genadijs Maricevs.

This involved using the facilities of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Olympic Studies Centre, as well as consulting more than 120 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), the archives of Olympic cities, various Olympic historians and institutions.

The latest volume covers the years from 1948 to 1964.

Latvian Olympic Committee President Aldons Vrublevskis, centre, presented copies of the first two volumes of the Olympic Encyclopedia last year to his IOC and ANOC counterparts, Thomas Bach, left, and Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, respectively ©EOC
Latvian Olympic Committee President Aldons Vrublevskis, centre, presented copies of the first two volumes of the Olympic Encyclopedia last year to his IOC and ANOC counterparts, Thomas Bach, left, and Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, respectively ©EOC

It is hoped that the next volume will be out in spring 2018, and that there will be a total of 12 volumes in all.

The Olympic Encyclopedia presents full data on the Olympic Movement and Olympic Games, as well as IOC Presidents, members and Sessions.

International Federations, NOCs and their Presidents, Olympic Order holders and other outstanding people within the Movement are also covered alongside biographies, photos and the results of more than 130,000 Olympic athletes.

Vrubleskis expressed his hope that an online version could be produced.