Belarus Readies to Welcome Europe

(ATR) The venues appear ready, the athletes have arrived, and the locals are curiously enthusiastic.

The stage is set for Minsk to host the second edition of the European Games, which opens Friday evening.

Some 3,667 athletes from all 50 European nations will compete in 15 sports, eight of which will serve as qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. There are 200 medal events, 20 being mixed gender competitions.

Leaders from the Minsk 2019 organizing committee were expected to address media at the main press center adjacent to Dinamo Stadium on Thursday, but the briefing was cancelled due to "unforeseen circumstances".

Instead, coordination commission chair and Greek NOC president Spyros Capralos was joined by executive director Simon Clegg. The experienced sport leaders underlined why they believe Minsk 2019 will be successful, also helping to fortify the still relatively unknown European Games brand.

Capralos noted that competition venues, especially Minsk Arena, which was home to world championship ice hockey in 2014, are of the "highest quality."

"Eleven of the 12 venues were existing structures that have been renovated, give us a clear picture about the sustainability of Minsk 2019," said Capralos, who will become an IOC member at the upcoming session in Lausanne.

The Greek sports leader informed that athletes he has spoken to are "very happy, in spacious, comfortable rooms" situated in the Olympic village.

"From what we hear, the opening ceremony, weather permitting of course, will be something special giving us all insight in the wonderful culture of Belarus and the great diversity of these European Games," Capralos said, alluding to thunderstorms forecast for much of Friday.

Simon Clegg – who has resided part-time in the Belarusian capital city since early 2018 – confidently predicted "the impact will go way beyond Minsk" of the second European Games, June 21-30.

"We’re very excited in terms of the way the venues have been presented – this really is world-class," Clegg said. "You will see stunning images that will be sent around the world showcasing Minsk and Belarus in the best possible light."

Minsk has a track record of hosting international events, most notably the 2014 world ice hockey championship, but the multi-sport European Games are by far the largest sporting undertaking that the Republic of Belarus, independent since 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union, has ever faced.

Regarding preparations, Clegg noted that there have only been "minor logistical issues and nothing special," par for the course when it comes to organizing any intricate multi-sport games.

Growing the European Games

Adding to the organizers immense task of staging the 10-day event, the European Olympic Committees is still figuring out how to build the relatively unknown European Games brand. Baku, Azerbaijan hosted the inaugural edition in 2015, which came up short in attracting masses of fans from Europe.

"The European Games being a new product – we are here bringing the sports and most of them bring qualifications to the Olympic Games, so you have the best athletes from Europe," Capralos said, responding to a question from Around the Rings. "On the other hand, for the organizers it is a unique opportunity to showcase their country."

Minsk is somewhat of a surprise host as originally the Netherlands was slated in May 2015, only to decline one month later due to financial shortcomings. Next a Russian city was targeted but former EOC president Pat Hickey delayed an official announcement at the 2015 EOC General Assembly in Prague amid WADA’s investigation of Russia’s widespread doping scandal.

Finally, Minsk, as a third choice, was awarded the Games in October 2016. Hickey, the self-suspended former EOC president is expected to attend Friday’s opening ceremony, despite backlash from Olympic Federation of Ireland officials. Hickey received an invitation from the EOC.

"The European Games were created to stay," Capralos said. "We have a very good host for the second Games and we hope that the host of third and fourth games will be equally good in order to make sure the games will continue and not have the future of what the Goodwill Games were."

DNA Athletics

According to Capralos, one mission of the European Games is to test new events. At the Baku Games, three-on-three basketball and karate were on the program, both of which ascended to Olympic status.

Beach soccer and a modern format for athletics known as DNA will serve as a litmus test over the days ahead. DNA involves a team format in which only one event is contested at a time. Twenty-four nations will battle against one another in six track and three field events over four days of competition. Individual and team medals will be awarded.

"DNA Athletics is a new format and many people were skeptical when it was first announced," Capralos said, noting that some athletes have committed to attend at the last moment. "We’ll see how DNA will develop – I’m very confident European Athletics will get new ideas on how to improve the sport of athletics."

Showers and thunderstorms are expected on Friday, perhaps dampening the splendor of the opening ceremony at 22,246-capacity Dinamo Stadium, which was utilized for soccer games during the Moscow 1980 Summer Olympics.

"If you look at the forecast, yes there is some expectation of rain, however it is due to break around the time of the ceremony and we hope that will happen," Clegg said.

Written by Brian Pinelli in Minsk, Belarus.

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