The development of a long-term, flexible model for the European Games is continuing to take shape with the European Olympic Committees (EOC) Executive Committee today holding detailed discussions about establishing a number of core sports and a target operating budget for each edition, as well as defining a permanent window for holding the European Games in 2019 and beyond.
The window for the next edition of the European Games is set to be the final two weeks of June 2019. The decision was taken by the EOC Executive Committee in Tirana, Albania, and will allow European Federations and Europe’s National Olympic Committees more time to align their calendars with the European Games than was possible for the inaugural edition in Baku, Azerbaijan, this summer.
Speaking from Tirana, EOC President Patrick Hickey said:
"Selecting the window for 2019 is a small but symbolic decision. After the incredible success of the first edition of the Games, it is important we give all stakeholders the opportunity to build their calendars for 2019 with the Games in mind, rather than fitting the Games into their existing calendars, as they did for Baku 2015. I am confident this will help us optimise the Sports Programme and secure the top-level participation of sports like athletics and swimming.
"Today’s decision allows us to progress our discussions with European Federations and, of course, with the potential hosts of the 2019 and 2023 Games with concrete dates in mind. It is an exciting time."
The Executive Committee also discussed the potential of establishing a core of six to ten sports which are consistent for each edition of the European Games. This proposal would see the Sports Programme at each European Games formed of these core sports plus a variable number of additional sports selected by each host city and the EOC. This approach will allow European Games host cities to tailor-make the Sports Programme to fit their city planning whilst providing a level of consistency for all stakeholders and commercial partners.
In addition, based on lessons from the inaugural edition of the European Games and the Baku 2015 European Games debrief in Rome last week, the EOC are forecasting that the average operating budget for a European Games going forwards will be approximately $500m.
EOC President Patrick Hickey added: "Establishing a core number of sports for the European Games is part of the EOC’s long-term vision but we are well ahead of schedule in holding these high-level discussions.
"Equally, establishing an approximate operating budget after only one edition is a confident step forward. When compared with an Olympic Games, $500 million represents a reasonable and sustainable pricetag for a pan-continental sports mega-event featuring 50 nations."
The meeting in Tirana follows a two-day debrief held in Rome last week between members of the EOC Executive Committee, including President Patrick Hickey, and senior Directors from the Baku 2015 European Games Operations Committee (BEGOC). The debrief was held to ensure that the best-practice blueprints established by BEGOC can be used to enhance the European Games model going forwards.
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