The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) has chosen an alternative to Sochi for hosting its 2017 World Championships.

The BMW IBSF Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Championships will now take place in Königssee, home to the oldest permanent bobsleigh, luge and skeleton track in the world, from 13 to 26 February 2017.

Critical factors taken into consideration when selecting the surrogate host were, according to an IBSF statement, “Minimal financial impact on teams regarding travel and organisation; Keep the dates and timing of the original schedule; Experience on the operational and logistic level to host a two-week event at such a short notice; Availability of the track during the two-week time period.”

The federation said it prioritised a European host because most of the teams will be racing in Europe on the BMW IBSF World Cup Series just before participating in the BMW IBSF World Championships.

And as Königssee hosted the IBSF World Cup in February 2016, it will not need to undergo an “international training period” usually required of the host race organiser.

The IBSF said it was “very impressed by the solidarity and commitment shown immediately by the IBSF Race Organisers to support this effort in any possible way.”

The decision to move the event from Sochi was made amid ongoing investigations into the integrity of sport in Russia.

“The IBSF Executive Committee felt that during this difficult time it is prudent not to organise such an event in Russia,” the IBSF said in a previous statement, issued a few days before announcing Königssee as the host.

The IBSF said it was moving the event out of Russia “to allow athletes and coaches from all nations to participate in a competition that focuses on sport rather than accusations and discussions – whether justified or not.”

It said “The Russian Bobsleigh Federation has put a great effort in the preparation of the World Championships, but the current climate would make it nearly impossible to appreciate the efforts of the Organising Committee to host a great event or the quality of the Sanki Sliding Centre as one of the best tracks in the world.”

The IBSF also “asked all members and athletes for fair play and respect, which also includes the assumption of innocence for any athlete, regardless of national affiliation, until proven guilty.”

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board had in July asked all Winter Olympic Sports Federations to find alternative host nations for any upcoming events.

“Because of the detailed references to the manipulation of samples during the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014 the IOC asks all International Olympic Winter Sports Federations to freeze their preparations for major events in Russia, such as World Championships, World Cups or other major international competitions under their responsibility, and to actively look for alternative organisers,” the IOC said.

Adam Pengilly, IBSF Vice President International Affairs, was the only IOC member to raise his hand to vote for a blanket ban on the Russian national team competing in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

“I’m an athletes’ representative, so I don’t want innocent athletes to have a consequence that’s nothing to do with them,” he explained to delegates at Host City 2016 in Glasgow during the panel discussion “Has Sport Lost Its Integrity?” on November 21.

“But in a bigger picture of what’s right for the long term of clean sport and the Olympic movement – and to protect that 12 to 14 year old Russian athlete that would in previous system have been forced to take drugs at some point in their career – based on the information I had, I was of the view that there should have been ineligibility for the whole team.”

All other IOC members – close to 100 – voted in favour of passing on to international federations the responsibility of deciding whether to allow Russian athletes in their sports to compete at Rio 2016.

“I can certainly accept the idea to give international federations the opportunity to look at individual athletes, and find out which ones had been part of a robust anti-doping system outside of the Russian one – I thought that was a reasonable approach,” Pengilly said at Host City 2016.

“But when someone abuses the Olympic Games, which as a movement is held so dearly, it in the way that it was abused in Sochi there should be some sort of symbolic consequence. For me, that was that we let those athletes that we deemed to be clean to come in, but not allow the Russian flag to be flown.

“I was in the minority within the IOC. I had a lot of people come up to me afterwards, both fellow members and within the sporting movement, to say well done. Some said: well done, I don’t agree; others said I do agree – and I’m like, OK you could have put your hand up as well! We need to develop our systems so it’s OK to disagree.”

For Sochi, the loss of the IBSF World Championships will be another blow to the legacy of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games – already said to be the most expensive Games in history due to reports of expenditure of US$51bn on infrastructure.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has received expressions of interest from three cities to host the next World Conference on Doping in Sport, due to take place in November 2019 subject to the progress of three working groups.

Muscat in Oman, Katowice in Poland and Geneva in Switzerland all submitted before the deadline of 25 November 2016.

WADA will now evaluate the submissions, including “possible site visits”, before the host city is determined by a vote at its Foundation Board meeting on 12 May 2017 in Montreal.

“WADA is delighted to have received such a strong level of interest from three outstanding cities for what promises to be a crucial World Conference on Doping in Sport,” said WADA President, Sir Craig Reedie.

“The World Conference will represent the culmination of active stakeholder consultation that is already underway concerning WADA’s path forward as it relates to compliance, governance and other matters of importance to clean sport. We look forward to appointing the host city during our May 2017 Foundation Board meeting.”

The date of the next World Conference on Doping in Sport is subject to the progress of three new working groups.

These groups, established at the last WADA Foundation Board meeting in Glasgow on 20 November, are reviewing the Agency’s governance structure and lab accreditation process and evaluating the establishment of an Independent Testing Authority.

They are due to complete their work by the November 2017 Foundation Board meeting in PyeongChang.

“The Board upheld that a World Conference be organized for end-2019 with the timing being revisited at the end of 2017 in light of the progress of the Working Groups,” WADA said in a statement.

The World Conference on Doping in Sport is set to be the fifth event of its kind, following similar events in Lausanne (Switzerland) in February 1999; Copenhagen (Denmark) in March 2003; Madrid (Spain) in November 2007; and Johannesburg (South Africa) in November 2013.

The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) 56^th Congress will take place in Prague from 12 to 15 November 2017.

The Prague Convention Bureau and other Local Host Committee representatives received the formal handover from the 2016 Congress hosts during the Congress Closing Ceremony on 16 November 2016 in Kuching, Malaysia.

Martin Sirk, ICCA CEO said: “Our Czech hosts really grabbed the opportunity to showcase why they were awarded the chance to host the ICCA Congress, not only highlighting Prague’s cultural appeal, but also by supporting the presence of a particularly impressive Czech technology expert speaker in this year’s education programme, to let our members know they will be intellectually stimulated at the 2017 Congress as well as inspired by the city itself.”

The handover was symbolised by the passing over of the ICCA Congress flag. Delegates at the closing ceremony in Kuching were treated to world-class opera singing from Martin Matoušek, a short introduction on why Prague has become one of Europe’s top meetings destinations, and an authentic Czech lunch menu.

“Based on our estimates, around 1,200 event planners and association representatives could attend the Congress in Prague, which would be a record number in the whole ICCA Congress history,” said Roman Muška, Managing Director at Prague Convention Bureau.

“A key contribution of this event to Prague lies in increasing awareness about MICE opportunities of Prague and the Czech Republic and not only among the Congress’s delegates, but thanks to the communication accompanying the next edition of the Congress among the professional community as well.”

Prague Convention Bureau has also launched also a year-long marketing campaign and social media contest “Bridge to Prague” to promote the capital as an important historical, cultural and business crossroad.

The campaign builds on the celebrations of the 660th anniversary of the laying foundation stone of Charles Bridge – one of Prague’s famous monuments.

ICCA is a global community and knowledge hub for the international association meetings industry. ICCA represents specialists in organising, transporting, and accommodating international meetings and events, and comprises over 1,000 member companies and organisations in over 90 countries worldwide.

The annual ICCA Congress serves as a platform for networking, education and best practice sharing for the association’s members and pre-selected association delegates from the meetings industry.

Source: Prague Convention Bureau

Host City 2016 takes place in Glasgow on 21 and 22 November and it’s not too late for you to join the most important gathering of cities and sports, business and cultural events.

Just when you thought the line up couldn’t get any better, new VIPs continue to come on board, including:

• Adam Pengilly, IOC Member and VP of International Affairs, International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation
• Angela Ruggiero, USA IOC member and Chair of the IOC Athletes Commission
• Jean-Francois Martins, Deputy Mayor of Paris
• Attila Szalay-Berzeviczy, Chairman, Budapest Olympics Foundation
• Mike Lee OBE, Chairman of VERO

At Host City 2016 Cities, Event Owners and Suppliers will exhibit alongside a truly outstanding conference programme that includes top-level speakers from some of the most influential organisations worldwide, alongside representatives from businesses with experience of all aspects of event hosting. 

These new speakers join a star-studded cast that includes city leaders from New Zealand, Odense, Rotterdam, Paris, as well as: Sir Craig Reedie CBE, President, World Anti-Doping Agency; Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, Visit Scotland; Francesco Ricci Bitti, President of the Association of Summer Olympic Sports Federations (ASOIF); Sarah Lewis, Secretary General of the International Ski Federation (FIS); Ugur Erdener, Vice President, IOC; David Grevemberg CBE, CEO, Commonwealth Games Federation; Bridget McConnell, CEO, Glasgow Life; Dimitri Kerkentzes, deputy Secretary General, BIE (World Expos); Simon Clegg CBE, Chief Operating Officer, World Expo Dubai 2020;  Reinhard Pfeiffer, Deputy CEO, Messe Munich; and many more.

View the full speaker line-up on the Host City website.

Don't miss this opportunity to attend Host City 2016! Get your pass today to attend the leading meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events in Glasgow on 21-22 November. Register online

For further information please contact Ben Avison on +44 (0) 7876 682072 or ben.avison@hostcity.com

England has beaten a rival bid from USA/Canada to host the Rugby League World Cup in 2021, the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) announced on Thursday.

As well as hosting the 31-game Men’s tournament, England will host the Women’s and Wheelchair tournament.

“The news today that England has won the right to host the Rugby League World Cup in 2021 is transformative for our sport,” said Brian Barwick, Chairman of the Rugby Football League in England.

“Our commitment to grow the game internationally, attract more spectators than ever before and put on the biggest and best event in the sports history has clearly been recognised by the RLIF.

“With a sold out game between England and New Zealand this weekend in the Ladbrokes Four Nations it is clear that there is a real passion for international Rugby League in this country. The UK has a proud reputation for delivering world class sporting events and the Rugby League World Cup in 2021 will round off an incredible decade of major events in our country that began with the London Olympics in 2012. The hard work starts now, but we are confident that we can deliver.

“Finally, we would like to thank the government for their steadfast support for the bid. Their pledge to help financially support the staging of this event and their commitment to provide up to an additional £10m investment in infrastructure for the sport of Rugby League, has undoubtedly helped to bring yet another iconic world class sporting event to this country.”

The tournament will benefit from central government backing.

"I am delighted that England has been chosen to stage the Rugby League World Cup in 2021, said Minister for Sport, Tracey Crouch.

“The government is investing up to £15 million to put on a world class show and up to a further £10 million into the game's infrastructure as part of the Northern Powerhouse agenda – and to help Rugby League grow outside its traditional home.

“The tournament will be a fantastic festival of rugby, enjoyed by a million spectators, and bringing economic benefits to host towns and cities. I look forward to working alongside the RLIF, RFL and UK Sport on an outstanding event."

The bid was supported by The Sports Consultancy, who worked closely with the RFL and UK Sport from concept design through to development of the bid book.

 “We are very grateful to The Sports Consultancy for their outstanding contribution in helping us to develop a high quality bid book that told a compelling story and ultimately won the RFL the rights,” said Jon Dutton, England 2021 Bid Lead.

“We believe it will be a transformative tournament for the sport both domestically and globally.

The 2021 Rugby League World Cup will be the biggest edition since 2000, with 16 teams and 31 matches and plans to stage 80% of games in Lancashire and Yorkshire with "showpiece fixtures" proposed for London, the Midlands and the north east of the country.

“Firstly congratulations to the team at the RFL who have worked tirelessly to bring this flagship event to England and we are hugely proud to have played a pivotal role,” said Robert Datnow, Joint Managing Director, The Sports Consultancy.

“I would also like to offer congratulations to our bid consulting team for their part in another winning bid and who from initial workshop through to bid book submission have demonstrated their professional, passionate and collaborative approach.”

The 2017 Rugby League World Cup will take place in Australia & New Zealand.

Over the years I have listened to dozens of marketing experts talk about how to effectively promote and sell your product or brand in the face of stiff competition. Undoubtedly there are various techniques and tactics that marketeers can deploy but for me, the conversation has always seemed to end up back at one place – the unique selling point.

Working out what it is that differentiates your product from all others on the market is the key to not only standing out from the crowd but maintaining credibility in an environment where everyone is trying to shout louder than you.

In Scotland, our golfing USP was forged many centuries ago when the humblest beginnings of a game now played by more than 60 million people worldwide first took root. Few countries in the world have such a close association with a single sport than Scotland does with golf.

It is known around the world as the birthplace of the game, where every legend of the sport has played, where the rules were first established and where the game’s greatest championships were first played.

It is the place where golf clubhouses are the hubs of local communities, where a love of the game is celebrated in families and passed down through generations and where the finite elements of the game are regularly dissected over a few drinks in the 19^th hole. In short, Scotland is the Home of Golf.

This USP represents the basis of all Scotland’s activities in golf, from promoting the country globally as a golf tourism destination to instilling it into the minds of Scotland’s schoolchildren as a game for everyone.

It has also been a catalyst for Scotland’s success in bidding for and securing the world’s most prestigious golf events. Don’t get me wrong, there are many factors that go into securing major events, not least past experience and an engaged and supportive Government, which we also have in abundance in Scotland.

But there is no doubt that when it comes to hosting a major golf event in Scotland, event organisers are drawn to the Scotland, the Home of Golf message and the added value it can bring to events.

A key example was The 2014 Ryder Cup, an event which was undoubtedly a huge success for Scotland, delivering economic impact, legacy and huge media profile in our key markets. But what was also apparent was the benefits that The Ryder Cup derived from being hosted in a country synonymous with the game and respected worldwide. Record numbers of overseas spectators at Gleneagles, including a larger proportion from the US than previous Ryder Cups, is indicative of that.

I don’t believe any other golf tourism brand can stand alongside that of The Ryder Cup and add value in the way that Scotland, the Home of Golf did in 2014. And in the current market with global golf sponsors and government support in shorter supply, in traditional markets at least, there is an even greater premium on a country being able to add brand value in this way.

When hosting a major event in Scotland, we endeavour to hand it back to organisers in a stronger position than when it came. This was a key element of our bid for The 2019 Solheim Cup and we firmly believe that Scotland, the Home of Golf can play its part in continuing to elevate the profile of not only The Solheim Cup but the women’s game globally.

There is an obvious quid pro quo in this equation. Our ultimate objective is to encourage more visitors to Scotland and we use our hosting of major golf events as a vehicle for achieving that. This event-led marketing strategy allows us to reach more potential visitors than we could through traditional marketing techniques and a limited budget, while adding further credibility to Scotland’s golfing proposition.

If you look closely at the golf events we support and the golf marketing we undertake, you’ll rarely see a VisitScotland logo when targeting golfing consumers. Instead, you’ll see the Scotland, the Home of Golf message because we know this resonates strongly with golfers around the globe.

This event-led technique also allows us to be innovative in the types of event we target, while also supporting the Scottish Government’s social inclusion and equality agenda. The 2019 Solheim Cup and the European Golf Team Championships – the world’s first mixed men’s and ladies professional event – in 2018 is further testament to that.

The golf tourism market is more competitive than it has ever been with golf tourists presented with more choice than ever before. Each destination has its proposition whether that be warm weather, cost, ease of access, new courses or luxury resorts. But among them Scotland continues to stand unique, as the only Home of Golf.

Paul Bush is speaking at Host City 2016, the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events. For more information visit www.hostcity.com/events/host-city-2016

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is planning to invite cities to bid to host the Davis Cup final from 2018.

Currently, each of the matches is hosted by one of the teams competing in that match, including the final.

"Right now we know who are in the finals but we don't know where it is going to be," ITF President David Haggerty told Reuters.

"It is really hard to plan and get viewership and fans excited," he said. "If you have a fixed site, people can begin to plan and look ahead.

He is proposing a new system whereby the final will be hosted in a host city in a neutral nation to be decided in advance.

"This is a way to unlock potential revenue which will help grassroots tennis," he told Reuters.

This system is also used by the UEFA Champions League where the final is held in a neutral host decided two years before the event, and the NFL’s Super Bowl final where the is host city is decided three to five years in advance.

"This is all part of our mission to make the appeal of tennis broad and wide," said Haggerty, who was elected president of ITF in 2015. "Davis Cup is 135 nations."

The ITF is also reported to be considering shortening matches and expanding the Fed Cup to include 16 nations.

Haggerty anticipates the price cities would pay for hosting the final will be "significant".

"We're waiting for cities to distinguish themselves," he told Reuters. "And we'll see what it is. I don't want to prejudge what it might be."

The proposals will be voted on by the ITF membership in August 2017 for implementation by 2018.

Haggerty anticipates a successful bid covering more than one year. "The most likely scenario would be for two-to-three-year terms," he said.

Croatia will host the 2016 Davis Cup final on 25 to 27 November, after they won their semi-final against France in Zadar, but a host city has not yet been named.

They will play Argentina, who beat Great Britain in a semi-final in Glasgow on16 to 18 September.

The current system gives little time to engage fans in the build-up to the event. "Last year we had a fantastic final in Ghent. But the reality is, Britain could have sold out the (13,000-capacity) stadium. Belgium could have sold it out, too.

"Our mission is to make tennis broad and wide. We have 700,000 spectators that come to Davis and Fed Cup each year... about 3.6 billion people view it on TV, but it's got to be more than that.

"It's got to be bigger than that, and with a neutral final venue we can work with our broadcast partners and make it a much bigger show than just two nations that know they're playing each other.”

Formula E on Tuesday said it would be inviting expressions of interest from new prospective host cities to join the 2017/18 calendar.

The structured selection process will be managed by London-based firm The Sports Consultancy, whose co-managing director Robert Datnow is speaking at Host City 2016 – the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events.

Successful hosts will be announced in June 2017, subject to approval of the FIA World Motor Sport Council (WMSC).

“We have enjoyed remarkable growth over the first two seasons of Formula E and now have partnerships with some of the most iconic cities in the world and cutting-edge automotive brands,” said Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag.

“There is now a unique opportunity for new cities to join our calendar and share in the continued exponential growth of the championship.”

The FIA Formula E Championship races on the streets against a backdrop of some of the most iconic host cities, including New York, Marrakesh, Buenos Aires, Monaco, Paris and Montreal.

The inaugural season of Formula E launched in September 2014 around the grounds of the Olympic Park in Beijing.

The third season, which opens in Hong Kong on 9 October 2016, sees 10 teams and 20 drivers race in 12 cities spanning five continents. The season ends in a double-header event in New York on 29 and 30 July 2017.

According to Formula E, the championship represents “a vision for the future of the motor industry, serving as a platform to showcase the latest innovations in electric vehicle technology and alternative energy solutions”.

The rights holder anticipates that the further opening of regulations in future seasons will allow manufacturers to focus on developing motor and battery components.

The International Association of Event Hosts (IAEH), whose membership has grown to include six new destinations, has revealed plans to meet during Host City 2016 in Glasgow.

Host City 2016, the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events, takes place in Glasgow on the 21 and 22 November.

Meetings of event hosts have been taking place informally at a small number of conferences, including Host City in November 2015. But it was not until the SportAccord Convention in April 2016 that a number of destinations gave a joint resolution to form IAEH.

The next formal meeting of IAEH will take place during Host City 2016.

“Further new members will be announced soon along with plans for the next regional meeting in Glasgow at the time of the Host City conference, and informal gathering in Lausanne around the Smart Cities and Sport conference,” IAEH said in a press release published on its website on Thursday 15 September.

A group of founder members of IAEH also met at British House in Rio on 16th August and agreed details of the interim management of the Association.

“As a result of the meeting, new members will now be formally welcomed and be encouraged to participate in knowledge sharing initiatives over coming months. Initial research on key topics is expected to be shared by the end of the 2016,” IAEH said after the meeting in Rio.

The six new destinations that have joined IAEH are: Maryland Sports, Events Management Queensland, innsbruck-tirol sports, Seattle Sports Commission, Edmonton Events and Ottawa Tourism.

Maryland Sports is the Sports Commission for the State of Maryland in the USA.

Events Management Queensland is a not-for-profit subsidiary of the state-owned tourism and events agency, Tourism and Events Queensland, based in the Australian Gold Coast. 

innsbruck-tirol sports GmbH was formed from the legacy of the 1^st Winter Youth Olympic Games 2012 in Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria. 

Seattle Sports Commission is the Sports Commission for Seattle, USA. 

Edmonton Events is a strategic partnership between the Canadian City of Edmonton and Edmonton Tourism.

Ottawa Tourism is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization, working to profile Ottawa and Canada’s Capital Region.

They join ten other city and country members of IAEH: Auckland; Canada; Denmark; Ireland; London; Los Angeles; New Zealand; Scotland Tampere; and USA.

[SOURCE: European Championships Management] The European Sports Federation members of the European Championships Board are pleased to announce the start of the host venue selection process for the 2022 edition of the multi-sport event.

The European Championships is a major new multi-sport event every four years, which aggregates the existing senior continental championships of Athletics (European Athletics), Aquatics (LEN), Cycling (UEC), Gymnastics (UEG), Rowing (FISA), Triathlon (ETU), with a new Golf Team Championships (ET & LET), unified under a common brand.

The event will bring together Europe’s very best athletes in an exciting new format with the full support of Europe’s free-to-air broadcasters. The first edition will be staged from 1-12th August 2018, co-hosted by Glasgow and Berlin, and the second edition is planned for summer 2022.

The first step in the bidding process for 2022 is the distribution of the official Bid Information Document to interested parties, with a preliminary questionnaire to be submitted by the end of 2016.

The participating European Sports Federations will announce the 2022 hosts in November 2017. The European Championships Board has expressed its preference for all events to be staged in one city or region in a window between late July and August 2022.

The key highlights of the European Championships 2022 for a host city/region are:

- The opportunity to host 7 European championships with 13 disciplines across 12 days: Athletics (including road events), Aquatics (Swimming, Diving, Synchronised Swimming and Open Water), Cycling (Track, Road/time trial, BMX, Cross Country Mountain Bike), Artistic Gymnastics, Golf, Rowing and Triathlon.

- Over 4,500 competitors contesting over 170 gold medals.

- A projected 250 hours of host broadcaster coverage showcasing the city’s sports venues, landmarks and tourist destinations.

- An anticipated 2,700 hours of television coverage broadcast on free-to-air public networks.

- An estimated cumulative TV audience of over 1 billion with many more opportunities to access content across digital and radio platforms.

- Millions of fans engaged on the road to 2022 across multiple social media and digital platforms.

- Approximately 700,000 spectators will have the chance to see the Championships in stadia, competition halls and at road and open water events.

- Attention from all the major media outlets with 3,500 media professionals expected to attend.

- A platform for a creative and far-reaching mass participation programme across all sports.

- Public, commercial partnership, educational, technology, cultural, sporting and economic benefits for the host city, region and nation, with strategic opportunities to utilise the European Championships in city regeneration and development programmes.

European Athletics President Svein Arne Hansen, co-chair of the 2018 European Championships Board, said, “The 2022 European Championships will be an incredible opportunity for host cities considering the direct and indirect economic benefits. We believe the innovative and sustainable event is very attractive and affordable, not least because of its cost-efficient staging model which is very good value from a host city perspective in comparison to other multi-sport opportunities in the market."

Fellow co-chair Paolo Barelli, President of the Ligue Européenne de Natation (European Aquatics), said, “By bringing together our existing championships once again, without adding to a crowded sporting calendar, we – the participating European Federations – will further protect and enhance the rich history and heritage of our respective sports. Both the federations and our hosts will see the powerful benefits of aggregation in 2022.”

Colin Hartley, Glasgow 2018 Championships Director, said: “This sustainable new model for staging a multi-sport event helps us deliver on our long-term commitment to produce strong economic benefits – as well as sporting, cultural and social legacy – by attracting new audiences to Glasgow and Scotland.

“The beauty of this new concept is it brings key sports together in our city at one time with a far greater media profile than we could achieve from individual events. We have not needed to build new stadia or an athletes’ village and we are able to showcase our existing facilities and landmarks. This new event is a critical element of our strategy to continue to be one of Europe’s premier sporting destinations.”

The European Championships Board requests that parties interested in staging the 2022 European Championships email EC2022@europeanchampionships.com to receive hosting information. European Championships Management (ECM) is co-ordinating the selection process for the 2022 European Championships on behalf of the European Federations. For media enquiries, please contact European Athletics Head of Communications and European Championships Strategic Communications Working Group Chairman James Mulligan at +41 79 694 48 29, james.mulligan@european-athletics.org.

[SOURCE: European Championships Management]