Second European Games in Belarus

MINSK, 5 October (BelTA) – A beach soccer stadium will be opened in Minsk near the Olimpiysky sport and fitness center in Surganova Street ahead of the 2019 European Games, representatives of Belarus’ Beach Soccer Federation told BelTA.

Josep Ponset, Head of Competitions at Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW), visited Minsk in the capacity of a technical delegate of the European Olympic Committees (EOC). He was made familiar with the site at premises of the Olimpiysky sport and fitness center where a stadium for 1,500 people will be built in order to host beach soccer games during the 2019 European Games. The future stadium is also expected to host a test tournament under the aegis of Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW) in 2018.

Josep Ponset said: “This is a very good place for a beach soccer tournament. The facility is in the center of the city, which is important for attracting viewers. We could arrange an excellent event with a good location, a modern stadium, and high-class teams but it wouldn’t look very good without viewers. It is important to keep the stadium full every day during the European Games. We should also get together soon in order to work on the stadium’s design and make it comfortable and compliant with all the requirements.”

The technical delegate of the European Olympic Committees also met with the head of the Belarusian Football Federation Sergei Rumas, Chairman of the Beach Soccer Federation Aleksei Sychev, and Chief Coach of the Belarusian team Nicolas Alvarado. Ways to assist with the development of beach soccer in Belarus, technical aid to Belarus’ Beach Soccer Federation and the Belarusian Football Federation via FIFA were discussed.

The Second European Games are scheduled to take place in Minsk on 21-30 June 2019. They will feature 15 sports: badminton, 3x3 basketball, boxing, wrestling(freestyle wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling, women’s wrestling), cycling (track cycling and road bicycle racing), gymnastics (artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, acrobatics, aerobics, and trampoline), rowing (kayak and canoe competitions), judo, karate, track and field athletics, sambo, archery, shooting (including clay target shooting), table tennis, and beach soccer. As many as 189 medals will be awarded in 23 sport disciplines.