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EOC happy with facilities established for European Games VIDEO
Baku, February 7, AZERTAC
The European Olympic Committees has expressed satisfaction with all facilities designed in Baku for the first European Games, Patrick Hickey, President of the EOC, said in Baku on February 6.
As earlier reported, a delegation from the EOC Coordination Commission is on official visit in Baku.
“We are very happy with all the objects that we have seen here. It is not a surprise for me, since I come here regularly. However, my colleagues who have not been here for two or three months, were amazed with the facilities created so far,” he said.
Hickey thanked Azerbaijan and Baku 2015 First European Games Organizing Committee for the welcome and reception ceremonies in Baku.
He expressed his gratitude to Mehriban Aliyeva, Azerbaijan’s First Lady and Chairperson of BEGOC for the great attention and interest in the work, as well as for her enormous contribution to the design of the uniforms of the volunteers.
“I also want to thank President Ilham Aliyev, who is also the president of the Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan. He showed great interest in these games,” Hickey stressed.
The EOC head also expressed gratitude to Sport and Youth Minister Azad Rahimov.
Fifty National Olympic Committees of Europe will participate in the first European Games in Baku, he said.
As the biggest sporting event in Azerbaijan's history, the Baku 2015 European Games will attract more than 6,000 athletes to compete in 20 sports.
The Games will take place in 21 stadiums 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.
There is no doubt that Baku will deliver excellent games creating a glorious history not only for Azerbaijan, but also for the European sports, said Spyros Capralos, the EOC Coordination Commission’s Chair.
“I think we will have a fantastic opening ceremony and great games,” he added.
In his speech, Capralos thanked everyone who works on the preparations for the European Games.
The coordination commission visited the European games park and saw how in a very short time so much works have been accomplished, Capralos said, adding that the preparations for the games have advanced much since the last time.
“We will have the visits of smaller groups and more technical visits because we need to focus on the details,” he added. “Now the focus should be changed and turned to testing the readiness. The European Olympic Committees is offering full support to this,” he said.
Capralos also praised the Baku Shooting Center, saying that in his opinion it is the best center in the world today, adding that after the games, Azerbaijan will be able to bid for other major multi-sport events.
“It will not be just the games, but a legacy for the country,” he stressed.
He said the games will be a great legacy for Azerbaijan in terms of infrastructure, but more importantly, the human factor – the people who are working in the organizing committee and people who are volunteers, suppliers, constructors and people who are dealing with these games.
“Everybody here in Azerbaijan will benefit from these games,” Capralos stressed.
He also said that the experience in holding the Olympic Games was used in the preparations for the European Games.
“But we took some things and made them more flexible,” Capralos added. “We selected the sports according to the needs of the organizer, according the venues which they have.”