“How do you follow a year like 2015?” is something we will all be asking ourselves at the EOC head office in Rome this week.

My answer is to go back to basics and to revisit the EOC’s primary purpose as an organisation: to focus on the specific needs of Europe’s NOCs. 

Last year was of course the year that Europe added the missing fifth ring to the continental games of the world by staging our inaugural European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan. Those wonderful 17 days of Games created more headlines and interest in the work of the European Olympic Committees than any previous initiative or programme in our history. It was a magnificent event and a great milestone for the EOC and the Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan. But it’s important to remember that the work of all 50 of our NOCs and affiliated organisations continued unabated before, during, and after the Games. 

In 2015 our NOCs scaled great heights. To highlight a few for example: the NOCs of Austria, Liechtenstein and Georgia all showed expert teamwork, innovation and organisational capacity in staging the 2015 European Youth Olympic Festivals whilst the Czech Olympic Committee staged a hugely professional EOC General Assembly in Prague that exhibited the perfect balance of private support from partners and public support from volunteers. I highlight these examples not for praise above others but to give a small snapshot of the hard work, cooperation and innovative thinking that characterised the activities of all 50 European NOCs in 2015. 

Last year, the sports industry as a whole started a process of important and necessary change to its collective governance to make transparency and accountability an absolute priority. These changes were, rightly, front and centre of everyone’s thinking. Yet it’s important to train our eyes to see the enormous amount of great work that was done in the background. This helps remind me why making these changes as soon as possible is so important: because sport is so important to people’s lives. If we govern our organisations better we will attract more participation in what we do, from corporate sponsors, from governments, from fans and from young people. 

To ensure the changes take root, it is up to every single person in the sports world to shoulder more responsibility in defending the integrity of sport. It starts with the good governance of sports organisations and the individual honesty of sports administrators, but from here it must run through every strand of the sports world, touch every affiliate, every fan, and every athlete. 

I echo Thomas Bach’s words for 2016 when he says “as the role and relevance of sport in society continues to grow, so do the expectations of the public vis-à-vis the integrity of athletes and sports organisations. It is our shared responsibility in the Olympic Movement to provide new answers to new questions.” 

2016 is, of course, an Olympic year. And it is incredibly exciting that for the first time ever the Olympic Games will be staged in South America. It shows that the Olympic family is a truly global family and it is a wholly positive milestone for the Olympic Movement. 

Europe has staged 30 editions of the summer and winter Games but must fight hard now to maintain its pre-eminence, which is why it is so pleasing to see three of the four 2024 Candidate Cities coming from Europe. In addition, as the most developed sports continent, we have a vital role to play in establishing the models of, not just good governance, but exceptional governance, which the whole Olympic family can benefit from. 

I wish you all a great year in sport in 2016. 

Patrick Hickey, President of the European Olympic Committees

FIBA Europe, the European governing body for basketball, has joined seven other sports federations by becoming a partner of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) EU Office in Brussels. 

The EOC EU Office represents the EOC to European institutions, working with towards a European Sports policy. It also represents the interests of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at national, European and international level. 

“I am extremely pleased to welcome the prestigious organisation of FIBA Europe as our latest partner. When we established the EOC EU Office, it was organisations such as FIBA Europe that we wanted to target in order to build a strong network of Olympic Movement sports’ organisations to partner with the EU’s institutions,” said EOC President Patrick Hickey. 

“The European Union brings a number of challenges as well as opportunities for the field of sport. The EOC EU Office is our answer to facing these challenges and to taking full advantage of these opportunities. With basketball being one of the major team sports in Europe, I am sure that this partnership will be of mutual benefit to FIBA Europe and to the EOC in many EU policy areas, but also beyond the EU institutions.” 

FIBA Europe is the sixth European Federation to partner with the EOC EU Office, following European Athletics, European Aquatics, the European Handball Federation, the European Volleyball Confederation and Rugby Europe. The EOC EU Office has also partnered with two International Federations: FIFA and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). 

"At FIBA Europe, we are always looking to build partnerships with institutions that share our commitment to sport and the positive impact it has on young people and our societies,” said FIBA Europe President Turgay Demirel.

“The EOC EU Office is one such institution. Basketball is one of Europe's leading sports, and this relationship will allow us to work more effectively towards our goal of strengthening the game in each of our member countries and beyond."

Basketball has been featured in every edition of the European Youth Olympic Festival, dating back to the inaugural games in 1991. 

 “FIBA Europe’s commitment to the European Olympic family grew last summer in Baku when our exciting new format, 3x3, proved to be one of the biggest hits with fans at the inaugural European Games,” said FIBA Executive Director Europe Kamil Novak.

“Now, becoming a partner of the EOC EU Office is the next logical step in our mutually beneficial relationship.”

A full list of the EOC EU Office’s partners can be found at http://www.euoffice.eurolympic.org/partners

The European Judo Championships, originally set to take place in Glasgow, will now take place as part of Baku European Games in June, following a disagreement between the European Judo Union (EJU) and the British Judo Association (BJA).

Judo is the first European Championships to be integrated with the European Games. The Games now offers the opportunity for athletes to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Glasgow’s Emirates Arena was due to host the Games on 9-12 April this year but the EJU withdrew the hosting rights from the BJA on 14th February.

This was reportedly due to concerns over a sponsorship agreement that would have seen the Ultimate Fighting Championship promote the European Judo Championships to its audience of mixed martial arts.

“The European Judo Union has come to the realisation that the British Judo Association does not fit the EJU criteria to host the EJU flagship event,” the EJU said in a statement last weekend.

“The BJA had entered into a sponsorship agreement which did not meet the EJU values.”

Within the space of a week, a new host city has been allocated. The event has now been incorporated into Baku 2015’s judo competition, to take place during the final four days of the inaugural 2015 European Games, which takes place from 12 to 28 June. 

“After the cancellation of the event in Glasgow, our priority was to find a new host as quickly as possible. We have done this and I am very happy with our choice,” said Sergey Soloveychik, President of the EJU.

“Baku 2015 has a world-class judo venue with supporting facilities which will help Europe’s elite judoka reach peak performance in June.

“For all the judo fans who have already bought their tickets for Emirates Arena in Glasgow, they will have an opportunity to get free tickets to the judo venue in Baku.”

The decision to incorporate the European Championships into the Games ensures that Europe’s top judoka will be competing at Baku 2015, as the Championships is a qualifying event for Rio 2016.

“This decision further strengthens the European Games with 12 of the 16 Olympic Sports now offering direct or indirect qualifying opportunities for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro,” said Azad Rahimov, chief executive officer of Baku 2015 and Azerbaijan’s minister of youth and sport. 

Other sports offering qualification opportunities for Rio 2016 are archery, athletics, boxing, cycling, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, volleyball and wrestling. There are 20 sports in total at the European Games, which is administered by the European Olympic Committees (EOC). 

Judo is the first European Championships to be integrated into the European Games. 

“The EOC has always intended for European Championships to become part of the European Games and this agreement indicates that our aim is coming true, even earlier than we had anticipated,” said EOC president Patrick Hickey.

“I am sure other sports will follow suit at future editions of the European Games and that the event will become one of the main qualification routes for the Olympic Games.”

Despite the decision to move the EJU Champsionships to Baku, Scotland retains a strong portfolio of events after hosting the acclaimed Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup in 2014. 

In 2015, Scotland is hosting the IPC Swimming World Championships, the World Gymnastics Championships, the World Orienteering Championships and the World Equestrian Championships, as well as seven golf tournaments and the Turner Prize. 

“Scotland has a huge amount to offer in terms of its natural assets, its people and its infrastructure,” Paul Bush OBE, chief operating officer of EventScotland told HOST CITY. 

Five more European broadcasters have signed contracts with the Baku European Games Operations Committee (BEGOC). 

The new deals, with public broadcasters RTVE (Spain), ERR (Estonia), LTV (Latvia), RTV Slovenija (Slovenia), and subscription-based Sport TV (Portugal), mean that the first European Games will be broadcast in at least 47 countries. 

More than one billion viewers worldwide will now be able to watch Baku 2015 on television.

“It is important that as many people as possible are able to share in the inaugural edition of the European Games this summer,” said Simon Clegg, chief operating officer of Baku 2015.

“With 130 days to go until the Opening Ceremony, these new deals are a great step in achieving that aim.”

The contracts include daily coverage commitments or a minimum number of sport competition hours to be screened during the Games. 

Spain’s RTVE will screen the opening and closing ceremonies live, as well as providing extended competition coverage throughout the Games. 

The network will also air a series of ‘Road to Baku’ programmes focusing on preparations for Baku 2015, while Sport TV will cover the Games on a dedicated 24-hour channel to be broadcast in their home market of Portugal, as well as in Mozambique and Angola.

RTV Slovenija, Latvia’s LTV and Estonia’s ERR have also committed to extensive coverage of the Games. 

“These agreements will bring the inaugural European Games to tens of millions of viewers across Europe and beyond,” said Charlie Wijeratna, commercial director of Baku 2015.

“All of these broadcasters are Olympic rights holders for Rio 2016, and bring with them a wealth of experience in broadcasting major sports events.

“A key part of Baku 2015’s commercial offering has been our ability to secure broadcast agreements, and I’m delighted that we’re continuing to deliver on this objective. This announcement shows that we are continuing to raise the profile of the event across the continent.”

Baku 2015 will take place from 12 – 28 June 2015, featuring 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.

Eleven of the sports will offer qualification opportunities for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Those sports include Archery, Athletics, Boxing, Cycling, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Triathlon, Volleyball and Wrestling.

The BEGOC will organise and run the Games in cooperation with the European Olympic Committees (EOC), who awarded Baku the Games in December 2012.

On its final coordination commission visit, the European Olympic Committees concluded that Baku European Games Organising Committee (BECOG) still has much to do but is on track to deliver an outstanding first European Games that will act as a blueprint for future hosts. 

“BEGOC is entering the final phase of preparations now, and every day counts,” said Spyros Capralos, Chairman of the EOC Coordination Commission.

“But they have delivered on all their construction targets so far and I am very confident that Baku will be ready in good time. 

"In addition, these Games will be innovative, which will act as a great blueprint to guide future European Games host cities. I am very much looking forward to coming back in June for the Baku 2015 Opening Ceremony."

Innovations adopted by Baku 2015 include the use of cloud-based technology for both infrastructure and software applications, a model that is set to be adopted by future major sports events.

All of Baku 2015’s venues will be connected by a new 600km optical fibre network, in addition to more than 1,000 kilometres of cabling inside the venues.

The EOC inspection included a tour along the Games Route Network and visits to venues including the Baku Shooting Centre, Mountain Bike Velopark, Heydar Aliyev Arena, as well as a “drive-by” of the European Games Park.

Azad Rahimov, CEO of Baku 2015 and Azerbaijan’s minister of youth and sports said “We now have a little more than four months until the Opening Ceremony. There remains much to do, but the momentum we have built will not falter for a second. 

“We will spare no effort in ensuring that the first European Games are an inspirational celebration of sport and friendship for the whole continent.”

Baku was awarded the right to host the Games in December 2012. 

“This EOC visit to Baku ahead of the first European Games has confirmed that the city is fully prepared to host an unforgettable event,” said Patrick Hickey, president of the European Olympic Committees. “Baku 2015 will be the perfect launch-pad for the European Games.”

“To have achieved so much in two years is a testament to Azerbaijan’s dedication to hosting the Games, and Europe’s athletes and sport fans will be delighted with the high standard of venues and facilities which await them.

Baku 2015, the first ever European Games will take place from 12 – 28 June 2015.

“With 126 days to go before the start of the European Games, we are now entering the final straight, and the visit by the EOC Coordination Commission has been an excellent opportunity to update members on our progress and take stock of what we have achieved so far,” said Simon Clegg, chief operating officer of Baku 2015.

“The Games will be a historic occasion for Azerbaijan and Europe, and we intend to continue working hard to deliver on our commitment to stage a world-class event until the very last guest leaves after the Closing Ceremony.”

The EOC delegation also attended the opening ceremony of the Baku 2015 Uniform Distribution and Accreditation Centre, where participants in the Nar Mobile-supported Flamekeeper volunteer programme will register and collect their uniforms.

Games branding on Atletico Madrid shirts

In another boost to Baku 2015, it was announced shortly after the EOC visit that Spanish football champions Atletico Madrid will feature the Games logo on the club’s jersey for the rest of the 2014-15 domestic and UEFA Champions League.

Atletico Madrid’s sponsor logo currently features Azerbaijan’s ‘Land of Fire’ tourism slogan, but was changed to the Baku European Games branding in time for Atletico’s derby game against Real Madrid on Saturday.

 “The inaugural European Games represent a great step forward in our continent’s sporting development, and as one of the leading Spanish and European football clubs, we are delighted to be associated with the Games and to promote Baku 2015,” said Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, CEO of Atletico Madrid.

Charlie Wijeratna, commercial director of Baku 2015, said: “Atletico Madrid are the Spanish champions and one of the best-known teams in the world. Having the Baku 2015 logo on the club’s jerseys is an innovative way to raise awareness of the European Games, add value to our brand, and continue to increase the momentum we are building.”

Aggreko will provide temporary power to the inaugural European Games to be hosted in Baku, Azerbaijan in June 2015, the company informed HOST CITY.

The leading supplier of temporary power and temperature control services will supply 34 MW of power for the opening and closing ceremonies, International Broadcast Centre (IBC) and 13 competition venues.

The announcement comes as Baku’s state energy operator, Bakielektrikshebeke, pledged to upgrade its infrastructure to cope with the demands of hosting the Games. 

“Baku will host the first European Games in 2015. This is a historic event for our country, and we are carefully preparing for it,” Tanriverdi Mustafayev Bakielektrikshebeke’s head of press, told local media.

“Old transformers will be replaced with those with large capacity wherever necessary, including stadiums and hotels.”

Power outages were commonplace in Baku until recently and the city still suffers from occasional outages. 

“Baku develops year by year, and the number of subscribers increases as well. It means that we should continue increasing the capacity of the power grid. In the past eight years, it increased by 90 percent,” Mustafayev said.

“Recently we have established three substations each with a capacity of 110 kW and nine substations each with a capacity of 35 kW. In general, Bakielektrikshebeke has established 26 substations each with a capacity of 110 kW and 70 substations each with a capacity of 35 kW since 2006.”

The news follows a successful year in the major events sector for Aggreko in 2014, when they provided services to the FIFA World Cup, Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup.

At the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Aggreko supplied temperature control services and 50 MW of temporary power for the IBC and 12 stadiums.

The Scottish-headquartered company also provided 103 gensets for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and a further 17 MW of power for the 2014 Ryder Cup.

For London 2012, Aggreko provided 260 MW of power using over 500 gensets.

Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) Television has secured exclusive rights to broadcasting the Baku 2015 European Games in Japan. 

The 17-day coverage will include the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as highlights packages across all of their domestic platforms.

“This is the first deal we have announced with an Asian broadcaster and represents a significant step in achieving our aim of ensuring the inaugural European Games is broadcast in all five continents around the world,” said Charlie Wijeratna, Commercial Director of Baku 2015.

The agreement follows on from recently announced deals with the Arab States Broadcasting Union, which will see the European Games broadcast in 20 countries across the Middle East and North Africa, and L’Equipe 21 which will show the event throughout France.

“The Baku 2015 European Games will be an historic event and we are proud to begin what we are sure will develop into a long and fruitful partnership,” said Masamichi Amano, Executive Vice President of TBS Sports. 

“We look forward to presenting the inaugural European Games to our viewers across Japan and also introducing all that Baku has to offer the world.”

TBS, a free-to-air commercial broadcaster, has exclusive rights to the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Japan and is part of a consortium of Japanese broadcasters that covers the Olympic and Olympic Winter Games, the FIFA World Cup and the Asian Games. 

The broadcaster also has rights to The Masters, The PGA Championship, Major League Baseball and the FIVB World Volleyball Championships in Japan.

Simon Clegg, Chief Operating Officer of Baku 2015, said: “We are delighted to have confirmed this deal with TBS Television to ensure the European Games will receive exposure in the Japanese market.

“As a keen sporting nation, we are sure there will be significant interest in Baku 2015 so it is extremely pleasing to know fans will be able to tune in to the best of all the action.”

Organisers of the Baku 2015 European Games updated leaders of Europe’s 49 national Olympic Committees at the weekend, met by an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the standard of their preparations.

“I am deeply impressed to see the development here in regard to sport,” said IOC president Thomas Bach, who was also attending the EOC General Assembly in Baku.

“What I have seen and heard about the preparations for the Baku 2015 European Games makes me very confident they will be an outstanding success for European sport and also an outstanding success for Azerbaijan.”

The optimism surrounding Baku 2015 will come as a great relief to the Olympic Movement, coming at a time when the next Olympic Games, Rio 2016, is under intense scrutiny over its delayed preparations and when European cities have been turning away from bidding to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

The NOC presidents and secretary generals were taken on a tour of the key venues including the National Stadium, the National Gymnastics Arena and the Baku Aquatics Centre. 

“I am very impressed at what they have achieved in Baku and the new sports infrastructure is excellent,” said Uğur Erdener, president of the Turkish Olympic Committee.

“The conditions will be perfect for elite performances, I am sure: great venues, great accommodation and transport, and great organisation,” said French Olympic Committee president Denis Masseglia. 

“The stadia here are stunning and the facilities for athletes in the Village and around the city are of the highest level,” said Victor Sanchez, Spanish Olympic Committee secretary general.

More than 6,000 athletes from across Europe will compete in 20 sports at Baku 2015. The programme includes 16 Olympic sports, 11 of which will offer qualification opportunities for Rio 2016.

“After seeing the venues and meeting the organisers this week, I am more convinced than ever that Baku 2015 will be an important stage on our road to Rio 2016,” said Russian Olympic Committee president Alexander Zhukov.

Hosted right on the border of Europe and Asia, the European Games is set to be the biggest multi-sport event on the European calendar in 2015 and beyond. 

“I think Baku 2015 will be one of the surprise events of next year... They will be a breath of fresh air for European sport, said Vlade Divac, president of the Olympic Committee of Serbia. 

“The Organising Committee of Baku 2015 has considered every part of their hosting concept from an athlete and NOC perspective and that is really reassuring for me and my team.”

With the 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games all set to take place outside Europe, the prospect of a regular multi-sport event in Europe will be reassuring to European Olympic leaders. “I believe in the future of the European Games,” said Russian Olympic Committee president Alexander Zhukov.

The host city of the 2019 European Games is being determined through a process of dialogue between the European Olympic Committees (EOC) and a number of potential host cities and will be announced at an EOC Assembly in the Turkish resort of Belek in May 2015.

With one hundred days to go until the Baku 2015 European Games, thirteen stars from the world of music, television and entertainment were announced as ambassadors on Tuesday afternoon. 

The ambassador programme will boost engagement in the event by tapping into the celebrities' fan base, while the massive scale of the European Games will help the stars to build their own following.

“I am delighted to celebrate 150 days to go until the Opening Ceremony of the first European Games with the support of these fantastic celebrities as official ambassadors of the Games,” said Mr Azad Rahimov, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Youth and Sports and Chief Executive Officer of Baku 2015.

“I am sure that our celebrity ambassadors will generate great excitement with the young people of Azerbaijan and encourage more people to get involved with the Games.”

The ambassadors include singers Tunzala Aghayeva, Miri Yusif, Roya, and Eurovision winners Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal, comedians Bahram Baghirzade, Rafael and Joshqun, and Tahir and Jabir Imanov, and musician DJ Shock. Well-known presenters Murad Dadashov and Ilkin Hasani will also take part. 

The programme will allow Baku 2015 to reach a range of audiences in Azerbaijan and Europe, using the celebrity ambassadors’ star appeal and popularity to share messages about the event.

 “Whenever I am on stage I give everything to make it a great performance. In June, it will be Azerbaijan putting on an unforgettable show for the whole of Europe to enjoy,” said singer Ms Tunzala Aghayeva at the launch event at the Mugham Center in Baku.

“As a Baku 2015 Celebrity Ambassador I will be working to encourage people to get involved with Baku 2015 through initiatives such as the volunteer programme, and play a part in creating history for our country.”

Participants will help to promote the Games by visiting Baku 2015 venues, taking part in countdown events, supporting campaigns, and using their own social media channels to reach millions of followers.

 “This announcement is the next step in expanding our ambassador programme and continues the great momentum we are generating as we continue our preparations to deliver a spectacular sporting event,” said Simon Clegg, Chief Operating Officer of Baku 2015.

“I would like to thank all of our Celebrity Ambassadors for their support and we look forward to working with them to help promote Baku 2015 in the coming months.”

The Baku 2015 European Games begins on 12 June.

Members of the Commission recently completed a visit to the country to check on progress ahead of the event. In addition to touring competition venues, the visiting party also observed presentations from a number of BEGOC representatives.

“There is a fantastic team here in Baku and this visit has given us an opportunity to meet many of the new members of staff who are all working hard to make the inaugural European Games a world-class event,” Commission chairman Spyros Capralos said.

“Significant work has been achieved over the past year and a half and the continued efforts to innovate, particularly with regards the sports programme, is very impressive.”

The programme for the Games has been wrapped up, with the martial art of sambo being added to complete the 20-sport schedule.

Capralos added: “The European Games will make history for European sport and it is vital that BEGOC continues its excellent progress in preparing for Europe’s first continental multi-sport Games.”

During the visit, BEGOC chief executive Azad Rahimov, who is also Azerbaijan’s Minister of Youth and Sports, officially opened the new Baku 2015 headquarters.

“We can sense the growing levels of excitement and anticipation here in Baku,” he said. “We are confident that each and every venue at next year’s Games will host enthusiastic fans enjoying the experience of elite European sport.”

In June, the European Olympic Committees’ president, Patrick Hickey, described the “scale and pace of development” in Baku as “remarkable”.

The European Olympic Committees Coordination Commission will make its final visit to Baku to check on preparations in February 2015.

The Games will run from June 12 to June 28 next year.