Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct.13
Trend:
The Baku 2015 European Games made a presentation to the Regional Forum of National Olympic Committees of the Commonwealth Of Independent States (CIS) and Baltic States in Tbilisi as part of the Georgian National Olympic Committee's 25th anniversary celebrations.
A team from Baku 2015 and the Azerbaijan National Olympic Committee attended the forum to update invited guests, including members of the International Olympic Committee, on latest developments for the inaugural European Games, Baku 2015 European Games Operations Committee told Trend.
In total, 15 countries from the CIS region and Baltic States were invited to Georgia to take part in the event under the International Olympic Committee's Olympic Solidarity National Olympic Committee Exchange and Regional Forums program.
"It was a great honour for our team to be invited to attend this prestigious anniversary by the Georgian National Olympic Committee," James Macleod, Director of Athlete Services and Operations at Baku 2015, who informed delegates about preparations for the first European Games, said.
"It was a perfect opportunity to update many of Azerbaijan's neighboring countries on our recent progress, and we are looking forward to having their athletes compete in Baku at the inaugural European Games."
"I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Georgian National Olympic Committee on their 25 years of success so far, and wish them many more in the future," Macleod added.
Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, and Patrick Hickey, President of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) and Spyros Capralos, Chairman of the EOC, were also in attendance over the weekend and had the opportunity to meet the president and prime minister of Georgia, as well as a number promising young athletes who hope to take part in the inaugural European Games in June 2015.
Baku 2015 is the first ever European Games, an exciting and innovative multi-sport event for the continent which will take place on June 12-28, 2015.
There will be a total of 20 sports at Baku 2015: 16 Olympic sports and four non-Olympic sports. More than 6,000 athletes from across Europe will be representing their nations over 17 days of competition.
Eleven of the sports will offer qualification opportunities for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Those sports include Archery, Athletics, Boxing, Cycling, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Triathlon, Wrestling and Volleyball.
Baku was awarded the Games by the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in December 2012. The Baku European Games Operations Committee (BEGOC) will organise and run the Games in co-operation with the EOC.
