Baku, July 18, AZERTAC

The European Olympic Committees (EOC) has announced the full membership of the Coordination Commission for the second edition of the European Games in 2019 in Minsk, Belarus.

Minister of Youth and Sport for the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azad Rahimov, who played a key role in the delivery of the successful Baku 2015 as CEO, will also sit on the Commission alongside EOC representatives, including EOC Acting President Janez Kocijančič, Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi, Treasurer Kikis Lazarides, and Executive Committee Member Marc Theisen.

The membership has been carefully selected by the EOC to ensure that every stakeholder in the European Games, from athletes to NOCs and sports federations, is represented and can contribute to the successful preparations for the event.

Spyros Capralos had already been confirmed as Chair of the Commission during an EOC meeting in Lausanne on 26 January 2017 but the full membership had yet to be revealed. Capralos will bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the role having served as Chair of the Coordination Commission for the inaugural European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan between 2013-2015, as well as Executive Director for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

Zlatko Matesa, the man behind the European Games concept and President of the Croatian Olympic committee, has been appointed Deputy Chair.

Representing NOCs on the Commission will be: Mr Sergey BUBKA, IOC Executive Committee Member and President NOC Ukraine; Mr Alexander ZHUKOV, IOC Member and President NOC Russia; Mr Alejandro BLANCO, EOC EC Member and President NOC Spain; Ms Daina GUDZINEVICIUTE, EOC EC Member and President NOC Lithuania; Mr Andrzej KRASNICKI, EOC EC Member and President NOC Poland; Mr Niels NYGAARD, EOC EC Member and President NOC Denmark; Mr Hasan ARAT, EOC EC Member and Vice President NOC Turkey; Mr Michael VESPER, EOC EC Member and CEO NOC Germany; Mr Jean-Michel BRUN, Secretary General NOC France; Ms Liney HALLDORSDOTTIR, Secretary General NOC Iceland; Mr Djordje VISACKI, Secretary General NOC Serbia; Ms Jan PATERSON, Director of Olympic Relations NOC Great Britain.

The Commission will also boast excellent representation from sport federations with six European continental federation Presidents, including: Mr Svein Arne HANSEN, President European Athletics; Mr Ronald KRAMER President European Table Tennis Union; Mr David LAPPARTIENT, President European Cycling Union; Mr Sergey SOLOVEICHIK, President European Judo Union; Mr Gregory VERPOOTEN, President Badminton Europe; Mr Albert WOODS, President European Canoe Association.

Experts and advisors from operational areas such as Athletes’ Village, transport, technology, broadcast and medical will complete the Commission.

Speaking about the final Coordination Commission, EOC Acting President, Janez Kocijančič said: “We are delighted to have finalised the membership of the Coordination Commission for Minsk 2019. Spyros chaired an impressive Coordination Commission for Baku 2015 and he will now be supported by members representing all stakeholders of the European Games – from the EOC and European federations to athletes and NOCs.

“Preparations for Minsk 2019 are now gathering speed and we are excited to visit Belarus to meet with the Organising Committee to offer our support and hear updates on their progress.

“These European Games are a very important event for European athletes, providing them with hands-on experience of competing at a multi-sport event as well as qualification opportunities for Tokyo 2020. It will be our role on the Coordination Commission to work with the Organising Committee to ensure that we deliver the optimum environment at the Games for athletes to be able to compete at their very best.”

The Commission will form working groups to deal more efficiently with specific problems.