Baku to set high bar holding European Games

The first European Games will be held at the highest level in Baku, Azerbaijani Minister of Youth and Sports Azad Rahimov told reporters June 12.

"Will we be able to hold such a huge event at the proper level?” many people asked. “Today we can say that the European Games will be held at the highest level - both organizational and sports."

He said that the further interest in holding the European Games depends on their holding in Baku.

"I think that this bar will be set high enough,” he said. “In the future, many countries will show an interest in this sporting event."

The minister said that many European countries have already shown interest in the European Games.

"The official representatives from the majority of European countries will participate today in the opening ceremony of the European Games," Rahimov said. “Some 34 presidents, prime ministers and other officials of different countries will visit Baku during the whole period of holding the European Games.”

Baku 2015 is the first-ever European Games, an exciting and innovative multi-sport event for the continent underway June 12-28.

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.

Baku was awarded the games by the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in December 2012.

/By Trend/