Olympics on low heat: Countdown to European Games

 
WestfalischeNachrichten, Germany

It was three years ago that the holding of the Pilot European Games was announced. Nevertheless, the program of the first continental competitions includes 20 sports. Unfortunately, l stars of German sport will not get many medals. 100 days before the opening of the first European games, many questions about the competitions remain unanswered for German fans. We present an overview of the objectives of the program and the participants of the large-scale European project, which will be held from June 12 to 28 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

How was the idea of the European Games born?

In 2012, at the voting of the National Olympic Committees for the creation of the European games, Thomas Bach, who at the time was president of the German Olympic Sports Union, and is now the president of the IOC, called the idea "a test mode on a slow burn." Other continents had their own games for a long time. And thus, in Baku, there will be an additional platform for competition for European athletes. Azerbaijan was the only candidate to host the Games. After two unsuccessful attempts to get the Olympics, the country wants to prove that it deserves to host the Games.

Is the European Games an Olympics in mini-format?

No. Although the program of the European Games is orientated towards Olympic sports, it does not copy the Olympics entirely. Four of the 20 types of competitions are outwith the summer Olympic sports: beach soccer, karate, sambo, and a new kind of basketball when they are playing three on three. The program includes non-Olympic gymnastic types of competitions in acrobatics and aerobics. In addition, there are no classic summer sports such as horse riding, handball and hockey.

Will German sport stars be at the Games?

Absolutely. The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) will send about 280 German athletes to the competition. Timo Bol and Dimitrij Ovcharov, stars of table tennis, will go to Baku together with the famous gymnast Fabian Hambyuhen, as well as with the volleyball team that is expecting to earn qualifying points before the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. In athletics, the German national team will take part only in one team competition, and only juniors will participate in swimming. In the new disciplines - Sambo, beach soccer and basketball 3x3 - Germany will not participate. Channel Sport1 will broadcast the event live on German TV.

At what stage are the preparations for the Games?

Three years ago, Azerbaijan hosted the song contest "Eurovision", and appeared before the world community, as a brilliant organizer. Therefore, there is no doubt that this time the organization will be on top. In general, "widespread enthusiasm" about the Games prevails in Europe, given that the Organizing Committee includes Briton Simon Clegg, who has experience of such events, which gives hope for the further success of the Games.

What will happen after the Games?

Now it’s not about test mode. In May 2015 the next host of the European games will be determined, there are six candidates at the moment. Perhaps, in four years, the top swimmers and athletes of Germany will have a desire to take part in them.