Beach Soccer, 3x3 Basketball for European Games; Hickey Hopeful for Athletics Element

(ATR) Around the Rings learns that beach soccer and 3x3 basketball will be among the sports unveiled for the inaugural European Games in Baku.

The European Olympic Committees coordination commission is holding its first meeting with the Baku 2015 organizing committee today and Tuesday, with the sports program a key agenda item.

"They are going to hammer that out by tomorrow afternoon. It will be more or less finalized. But there will be a little bit of tweaking," EOC president Pat Hickey tells ATR from the Azeri capital.

Memorandums of Understanding were inked with FIFA and FIBA to bring 3x3 basketball and beach soccer to the sports program. "We want to be innovative in these Games," he said.

The Irish IOC member said that 15 to 19 sports would end up on the program, but "we want to keep the first Games moderate [size] so it won’t put others off bidding".

"What we want to avoid is gigantism. The whole idea of the European Games is that smaller cities would be able to host the Games," he added.

He said it was "completely false" to suggest there would be no athletics element on the sports program.

While the European Athletic Association has previously confirmed it won’t be part of the 2015 Games due to contractualissues, Hickey is "hopeful" that EOC negotiations with the EAA can still deliver some form of track-and-field showcase.

Hickey said former U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Jim Scherr had been recruited as chief operating officer and was moving with his family to Baku.

"They are hugely enthusiastic. Whatever expertise they don’t have on the ground, they are willing to take on," Hickey said.

"There is a great attitude about getting things done."

The EOC’s 16-member co-com, led by Greek NOC chief Spyros Capralos, launched their inspection visit Monday morning by meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, who is also heads the NOC.

In a closed-door meeting, the Games concept presentation was followed by discussions about the venue plan. Baku 2015 headed up by the First Lady of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva, updated the co-com on the many existing facilities, including the Olympic Village, and the few still to be built.

A venue tour took place on Monday afternoon.

Tuesday’s agenda is dominated by the sports program. A press conference will be held in the afternoon.

Reported by Mark Bisson.

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