Second European Games in Belarus

MINSK, 12 July (BelTA) – The chefs de mission commended the way Minsk is preparing for the 2nd European Games, Director of the Minsk European Games Organizing Committee (MEGOC) Georgy Katulin told a press conference on 12 July, BelTA has learned.

Georgy Katulin noted that several events took place this week in addition to meetings with the chefs de mission: briefings with representatives of press attaches, diplomatic corps. This is an important week in preparations for the 2019 tournament. Of course, there are some issues. But we have encountered no big problems as we are gearing up for the competitions today that will take place less than a year from now. The guests gave positive assessments. We and the EOC have one goal, and this is to make the upcoming European Games ones of the best events,” Georgy Katulin said.

According to European Games Executive Director Simon Clegg, the chefs de mission, representatives of the press services made sure that Minsk has put everything in place for the European Games. “Representatives of the teams now have full information about how things are organized in the capital of Belarus, and when home they will say that Minsk is highly prepared for the games,” he said.

EOC Sports Consultant Makis Asimakopoulos focused on the sports part recalling that the competitions in 10 of 15 sports will be qualifiers for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. The competitions in badminton, boxing, rowing and judo will have the status of the European championships. “During the visit the chefs de mission stressed that it is important that many sports venues, which will be used in June 2019, already host various tournaments. No doubt, the games will be held in Minsk at a high level,” he said.

Minsk hosted the chefs de mission from the countries that will take part in the 2nd European Games on a three-day visit. The representatives of 49 national teams toured around the sports facilities to be used during the European Games, places of residence, and inspected the transport system.

Minsk also hosted a seminar for European National Olympic Committee (ENOC) communications managers and press attaches as well as representatives of leading European media. The event was attended by almost 30 experts from Belarus, the UK, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Estonia and other countries and also journalists of the Russian news agency TASS, Agence France-Presse, the British BBC and Reuters, Around the Rings online publication dedicated to business and politics of the Olympic movement, and Mitchell Communications Agency.