Krakow-Malopolska 2023 a Top Priority for New EOC Leader

(ATR) Among the myriad challenges confronting newly elected European Olympic Committees president Spyros Capralos is raising the stature and visibility of the European Games brand.

Capralos, who was elected by his peers at the EOC General Assembly on June 10 in Athens, appears to be the right person to lead the mission, having served as coordination commission chair for the first two editions – Baku 2015 and Minsk 2019.

Focus and preparations have shifted to Poland with Kraków-Małopolska 2023 next in line. However a host city contract has yet to be signed, stalled by a dispute over funding between Kraków organizers and the Polish government. The Games are scheduled for June 21 to July 3, 2023.

"We are in the process of discussing the various details of the host city contract because the devil lies in the details," Capralos tells Around the Rings in an exclusive interview. "It is an important contract and we have agreed to the main terms with the Polish organizers, but there are still some issues that need the details to be worked out."

The Kraków-Małopolska 2023 sport program continues to be up for debate, the size and scale of the Games yet to be finalized.

"There are many sports that are queuing and asking to get onto the program," Capralos says. "We cannot add as many as we wish.

"The Polish government and the organizers have a wish list and we are working together to make sure we have a good balance between Olympic sports and non-Olympic sports.

"I think the number will be closer to 30 – it will probably be a little less than 20 of the Olympic sports and about 10 of the non-Olympic sports."

In Minsk 2019, approximately 4,000 athletes from 50 countries competed in 200 events across 15 sports. While it appears that Kraków-Małopolska 2023 will ultimately be substantially larger, Capralos says caution needs to be practiced.

"There are many other sports that are waiting and pushing to get in – we get requests from the Polish Olympic Committee, we get requests from the sport federations, and we have to be extremely careful," Capralos says. "We cannot please everybody."

Considering Poland’s previous successes and tradition in ski jumping, a summer version of the event will be included in the Games. It will mark the first time that the International Ski Federation holds an event on a summer multi-sports program.

"For Poland, it’s so important – they have the facilities there and I think it will be very spectacular to have in the European Summer Games, a sport that people normally know from the Winter Olympic Games," Capralos tells ATR. "It’s going to be very interesting."

Mountain running and rugby sevens are among other potentially entertaining and crowd pleasing events being considered.

"The European Games is also a platform to help us see new sports, new ideas and this is something that is also beneficial to the International Olympic Committee," says the IOC member from Greece. "Don’t forget that some of these sports were first introduced in Baku and then they became part of the Olympic program and so we are proud of that.

"We will continue trying and seeing new things both in the European Games as well as in the European Olympic Festivals."

Keeping Costs Reasonable & Gender Equality

In accordance with IOC Olympic Agenda 2020+5, Capralos emphasizes that the EOC does not want future organizers to build costly, unnecessary venues.

"One of the primary objectives and goals that we have is not to construct new sport facilities, unless the organizer has some specific strategic goal and they want to build," he said.

"For example, in Baku they built a swimming complex which was very necessary for them and it is not only being used 100 percent, but now they are building a second one.

"We don’t want the organizers to enter into unnecessary expenses in building infrastructure or sport facilities. However, it is up to them to decide if they want to do it and at what level."

Capralos noted that gender equality is also a priority with the aim of having a similar number of competitors and medals at stake for both men and women.

"The world is changing – I think that what the IOC had started, we continue doing it with our own continental events," the EOC leader said.

Establishing the Future of the European Games

Capralos, a two-time Olympian representing Greece in water polo at the 1980 and 1984 Games, is enthusiastic, committed and determined to develop the European Games brand but given that the EOC is only in the process of overseeing its third edition, he realizes that patience is necessary.

Nevertheless, he notes the significant progress that is being made.

"Overall, we see an increased interest for the European Games – increased interest in that most of our Olympic sports will be used as Olympic qualifiers or European Championships, which means that the best athletes of Europe will be in competing in those events.

"Secondly, it happens only one year before the Olympic Games, so it serves a good opportunity for athletes to participate in a multi-sport event, it is a like a test event before the Games and I think that secures the best athletes.

"The third thing is that we now have an agreement with EBU to broadcast the Games and this is very important because EBU goes into every European house for free – the coverage is much bigger."

Capralos says discussions to find a host for the fourth edition of the Games in 2027 could begin following Tokyo 2020. He said it is premature to discuss potential host candidates.

"Maybe not immediately, but shortly we’ll start the opening process for bids for 2027," Capralos said.

"Everybody focuses now on Tokyo and afterwards, I think people will start thinking more about European Games, even though we have the Beijing Winter Games also."

Winter European Games?

Could a winter edition of the European Games be in the EOC’s future? Capralos noted that the topic was part of the discussion at their recent Executive Committee meeting.

"Europe is the strongest continent for winter sports and therefore I think we can timidly start studying the possibility of having European Winter Games," he noted. "It is something that we need to work closely with the federations, especially the new leadership of the skiing federation to see what are the possibilities

"It remains to be seen, but I think it is a very interesting project."

Recipe for Success

The new leader of the EOC succinctly summed up what he believes is the formula for a successful future of the European Games.

"Securing that we have the best technology, the best athletes, and the best sports is also something that guarantees the interest of the sports world of Europe.

"Of course, it is something that is progressing and will be changing according to the new norms – we will be doing whatever it takes to have the Games be successful," he said.

Homepage photo: EOC

Written and reported by Brian Pinelli

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