Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

Baku hosted the fifth meeting of the European Olympic Committees Coordination Commission on February 5.

Mehriban Aliyeva, Azerbaijan’s First Lady and Chairperson of the Baku 2015 First European Games Organizing Committee attended the meeting.

The EOC Coordination Commission considered updates from Baku 2015 European Games Operations Committee directorates. The commission hailed the preparations of the Baku 2015 First European Games.

Patrick Hickey, President of the EOC, stressed the importance of the meeting.

A strong team of professionals are working here to ensure excellent organization of the European Games, he said.

Mehriban Aliyeva, in turn, said supporting sports and the Olympic movement was one of main priorities of Azerbaijan, hailing the achievements of Azerbaijani athletes.

“The games will mark a historic moment for European sport, and for Azerbaijan and it will be a milestone in our progress as an independent and forward-looking member of the European family,” the first lady said addressing the event.

“We accepted the honor and responsibility of staging these inaugural games, and today and tomorrow you will see that your trust in us has not been misplaced,” she stressed.

Aliyeva said the first European Games would be covered by more than 600 international and local journalists. An event will be organized for foreign journalists on June 10. Some 43 companies have been given the broadcast rights, and the games will be aired in more than 100 countries. More than 16,000 volunteers have already sent applications to the Organizing Committee.

The government invested hugely in transport infrastructure, she noted, and assured that the opening and closing ceremonies would remembered in history in terms of glory.

Spyros Capralos, Chairman of the EOC Coordination Commission, praised the achievements of the commission in recent months.

The European Games would be a historically important event, he stressed. Capralos also hailed sports infrastructure created in Azerbaijan and preparations for the tournament. He noted that important decisions would be adopted during the two-day discussions in Baku.

Azad Rahimov, Azerbaijan’s Youth and Sports Minister briefed the participants on the progress made since the commission’s last visit in September 2014.

“Though we are fully on schedule, we know that there is no time for complacency, and that each day counts in fine-tuning our preparations.

“We are on track to deliver an infrastructure worthy of sporting events of the highest caliber, and I am sure that this will be the case in Baku this summer when we host the first-ever European Games,” he said.

He said the sportsmen who succeed at the games would be presented with specially designed medals.

Apart from foreigners, local specialists were also involved in the preparatory works, noted Simon Clegg, Chief Operating Officer of Baku 2015.

A documentary highlighting preparations for the Baku 2015 was screened at the event.

A delegation from the commission visited competition and non-competition venues. This is a final visit of the commission to Baku ahead of this summer’s inaugural European Games on June 12-28.

On the first day of the two-day visit, the EOC Coordination Commission took a route along the Baku 2015 Games Route Network, the Coordination Commission members visited the Baku Shooting Centre, Mountain Bike Velopark, Heydar Aliyev Arena, and a drive-by of the European Games Park.

The tour concluded with the official opening of the Baku 2015 Uniform Distribution and Accreditation Centre (UDAC) by Minister Rahimov. All Flamekeepers – the successful applicants to the Baku 2015 volunteer program which is supported by Nar Mobile – will register and collect their specially-designed uniforms from the new building prior to the Games.

Spyros Capralos said: “Watching the progress of the world-class sports facilities on the venue tour and the Games Route Network between venues has been invaluable for me and my Commission. It was also a great experience to be present for the UDAC official opening.”

As the biggest sporting event in Azerbaijan's history, the Baku 2015 European Games will attract more than 6,000 athletes to represent 49 countries in 20 sports.

The Baku 2015 Games will take place in 21 stadia and facilities in Baku and Mingachevir city. The official opening ceremony of the games will take place in the 68,000-seat Baku Olympic Stadium. The Athletes Village will accommodate up to 7,300 people.

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Nigar Orujova is AzerNews’s staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @o_nigar

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