Baku 2015 European Games hosts fourth Coordination Commission
By Nigar Orujova
Baku 2015 European Games Operations Committee (BEGOC) hosted the fourth European Olympic Committees (EOC) Coordination Commission ahead of next year's inaugural event on September 3.
Members of the EOC Coordination Commission team spent two days in Baku visiting competition venues for next year's European Games and received updates from BEGOC directorates.
It is EOC's first opportunity to see the new Baku 2015 branding displayed across the host city, and heard details about the recently updated sports program.
Azerbaijan's Minister of Youth and Sport and BEGOC Chief Executive Officer Azad Rahimov also formally inaugurated the new Baku 2015 headquarters in a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Chairman of the EOC Coordination Commission, Spyros Capralos, and members of the Commission present on September 3.
Also in attendance were four Azerbaijani Olympic champions who will be the ambassadors for Baku 2015: Greco-Roman wrestler Farid Mansurov who won gold at Athens 2004; Freestyle wrestlers Namig Abdullayev and Togrul Askerov who won gold at Sydney 2000 and London 2012 respectively; and shooter Zemfira Meftakhatdinova who won Skeet gold at Sydney 2000.
The commission was officially welcomed to Baku by Rahimov. "Once more, it is an honor to host the EOC Coordination Commission. The Azerbaijan government is fully committed to making the first European Games a success and a great experience for the elite athletes of Europe."
"These visits are extremely important milestones on the road to the inaugural European Games and we are looking forward to demonstrating our continued progress across all areas of the organisation over the next two days," he said.
Rahimov added, in recent months, the organizers have made several important and significant steps towards delivery of an event that will unite Europe in a unique celebration of sport."
Spyros Capralos said: "We are delighted to be back in Baku for the penultimate EOC Coordination Commission. In the four months since we last visited Baku, BEGOC has built up real momentum across all areas of Baku 2015 preparations, especially in commercial sponsorships and communications - two areas for improvement which the Commission identified in April.
"There are now only 282 days to go until the Opening Ceremony so this meeting between the EOC and BEGOC is crucial to optimizing the time left to prepare for the Games. The entire Commission is really looking forward to hearing about the latest progress and plans in more detail over the next two days," he said.
The new BEGOC headquarters are close to the Baku Boulevard, placing the team at the heart of the city and featuring large open-plan spaces and a highly advanced technology environment, which will ensure the next step in the organization's development.
The building has a total capacity of 1,057 people and is approximately 11,000 square meters in size. It features an auditorium with capacity to accommodate 250 people, three kitchenettes and several meeting rooms per floor, shower facilities and a prayer room.
The BEGOC workforce currently stands at a total of 769 employees across 20 directorates. Of this total, 468 are Azerbaijani nationals, with the remaining 301 international employees coming from 37 different countries.
Baku 2015 will be the first European Games, an exciting and innovative new multi-sport event for the continent, which will take place in June 12-28, 2015.
There will be a total of 20 sports at Baku 2015: 16 Olympic sports and three non-Olympic sports. More than 6,000 athletes are expected to represent their nations during the 17 days of competition.