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Azerbaijan to host first European Olympic Games in 2015

10 December 2012 14:33 (UTC+04:00)
Azerbaijan to host first European Olympic Games in 2015

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijani capital Baku was chosen to host the first-ever European Olympic Games by the 41st General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in Rome last Saturday.

"The Games will be held in 2015," National Olympic Committee (NOC) head of international relations, Konul Nurullayeva, told Trend news agency over the phone from the Italian capital.

The Europe NOCs voted by secret ballot with an overwhelming majority of 38 voting in favor, eight against and three abstaining, confirming Baku as the host city for the inaugural games in 2015.

The host city contract was signed shortly afterwards by European Olympic Committees President Patrick Hickey, EOC Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi, Azerbaijani Minister of Youth and Sports Azad Rahimov, and Vice President of the Azerbaijan NOC Chingiz Huseynzade.

Besides the Minister, the NCO Vice President and the NOC International Relations Department Director, Azerbaijan was represented at the assembly by the soccer governing body AFFA's General Secretary Elkhan Mammadov and Youth Fund Executive Director Farhad Hajiyev.

During the meeting, EOC President Hickey spoke about the idea of the Games' inception and expressed his support for holding the tournament in Baku.

The Azerbaijani NCO's VP expressed Azerbaijan's desire to host the Games, saying people of the country, especially youth, will meet with enthusiasm the news about the capital city's hosting the competition.

"Holding the first European games in Baku is a great historical event. We tried very hard to make this happen and we achieved it," Huseynzade said.

Other members of the Azerbaijani delegation spoke of the country's achievements not only in sports but also in economics and politics.

Minister Rahimov expressed political and financial guarantees as well as guarantees for the participants' safety and full readiness of all sports infrastructure to host the Games.

Exact dates of the tournament have not yet been scheduled, but the Games will presumably take place in late spring or early summer, with athletes competing in up to 15 sports.

The list of featured sports will be determined soon, Huseynzade noted. "At the moment, it is known that judo, taekwondo, badminton, triathlon, handball and volleyball will be presented, while other disciplines have not yet been specified."

He also said that an organizing committee on holding the Games in Baku will be established in the coming days, and the Olympic committee will determine the plans regarding the Olympic Village and other issues.

The NOCs have received assurance that the event will not cost them a penny, but will bring them financial gains.

Head of the Russian Olympic Committee Alexander Zhukov has expressed support for the European games, Interfax news agency reported.

"The idea of organizing the European games was put forward long ago," he said. "They will certainly give a new impetus to the development of sports on our continent. The Russian Olympic Committee is ready for close cooperation with the Azerbaijani Olympic Committee to ensure successful training and holding of the European games for the first time in history."

The European Olympic Games are intended not to copy the international Olympic Games, but to become an alternative and enlarged sporting event running in parallel with the Pan-American, Pan-Asian and All African Games and supposed to be held every four years. 7,000 people are expected to participate.

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