Pierce O’Callaghan (IRL)European Games Senior Consultant

Director of Sport, Baku 2015 European Games

Member of IAAF & EA Competition Commissions

EA Congress - Agenda• Why a European Games?

• Athletics & European Games

• Baku 2015 Review

• Minsk 2019 Sports Programme

• Minsk 2019 Venue

• Benefits to Federations

• About Belarus

• Questions

•

Why a European Games?• Europe was only continent not to have its own multi sport Games pre 2015

• Number of Olympic medals won by Europe was continuously reducing:– Seoul 1988 Europe won over 70% of Olympic medals

– Beijing 2008 Europe won less than 40% of Olympic medals

• Experience in Athletes Village and multi sport environment vital for

athletes Olympic preparation

Why a European Games?• Journey from European Champs in single sport to OG perceived too long

• Success of Baku 2015 clear from athletes perspective:– 50 Gold, 50 Silver and more than 100 Bronze Rio 2016 Olympic medals were won from

athletes who won medals in Baku 2015

– This was across 12 of 16 Olympic sports in Baku 2015

New media landsacape

Athletics & European Games• Already long established & very successful European Championships

• Long established partnership with EBU

• European Championships every 2 years

• Calendar crowded etc

• But..

• Strong desire for athletics to maintain leading role in Olympic family

• Opportunity to bring new money into Athletics

• Opportunity to showcase Dynamic New Athletics product to global

audience

2015 European Games

2015 European Games Review

• 50 competing nations

• 20 Sports (16 Olympic & 4 Non Olympic)

• 6,000 athletes & 3,000 team officials

• 253 medal events

• TV coverage in 45 Euro countries & 145 countries worldwide

• Total household reach 825m homes worldwide

• Athletes was 3rd League of Euro Team Champs (25,000 spectators each

day)

The next edition – Minsk 2019• Minsk 2019 to include only the “best of the best” senior athletes in all

sports

• 4000 athletes and competitions over 10 days to ensure long term

sustainability

• Sports Qualifications decided by European Athletics

• Athletes village – 3751 rooms, 7502 beds

• 2 athletes per room, 4 athletes per bathroom as per Olympic norms

Athletes Village

Minsk 2019 Sports Programme• 15 Sports held over 10 Days – June 21-30 2019.

• 5 European Championships, At least 10 will be Tokyo 2020 Qualifiers

• Badminton, Boxing, Canoe Sprint, Cycling (Road & Track) Judo

• Athletics, Archery,

• Gymnastics (Artistic, Acrobatic, Aerobic, Rhythmic, Trampoline),

• Karate, 3x3 Basketball, Shooting, Table Tennis,

• Wrestling

• Beach Soccer, Sambo,

Sport Venue Locations

MINSK ArenaFALCON Club

DINAMO StadiumPALOVA Arena

ATHLETES Village

Olympic Sport Complex

CHIZHOVKA Arena

SPORTS Palace

Canoeing Regatta Course Zaslavl

Sporting Club

Sports Palace Uruchie

VICTORIA OLIMP HOTELMARRIOTT HOTEL

Shooting Center

DISTANCE from the ATHLETES Village

Canoeing Regatta

Course ZASLAVL13 km ≤20 min

MINSK Arena 13 km ≤20 min

FALCON Club 12 km ≤20 min

SPORTS Palace 10 km ≤20 min

PALOVA Arena 12 km ≤20 min

DINAMO Stadium 10 km ≤20 min

CHIZHOVKA

Arena16 km ≤20 min

Olympic Sport

Complex16 km ≤20 min

Shooting Center 23 km ≤25 min

Sporting Club 23 km ≤25 min

Sports Palace

URUCHIE23 km ≤25 min

VICTORIA OLIMP

HOTEL13 km ≤20 min

MARRIOTT HOTEL 12 km ≤20 min

DINAMO STADIUMCeremonies

Athletics

Benefits to Federations & Athletes

• Team travel (athletes & support personnel) & Full board accommodation

paid by EOC & Minsk 2019

• Opportunity for NOCs & Federations to get additional sponsor recognition

outside OG, World Champs, European Champs in front of global audience

• Excellent development opportunity for athletes and officials to experience

multi sport Games outside of high pressured Olympic environment

• Bidding for 2023 European Games opens in November 2017

About Belarus & the City of Minsk• Belarus shares border with Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Ukraine & Poland.

• Population is 9.5m— the 15th biggest in Europe.

• Belarus introduced a visa-free entry in 2017 for stays in Belarus for up to 5 days

Benefits to Athletes & NOCs• Team travel paid by EOC

• Full board accommodation paid by Minsk 2019

• Opportunity for NOCs & athletes to get additional sponsor recognition

outside OG

• Athletes can qualify or gain ranking points in 12 sports pre Tokyo 2020– Discussions ongoing with IOC & International Federations

• Excellent development opportunity for athletes and officials outside of

high pressured Olympic environment

• Bidding for 2023 European Games opens in November 2017

Thank you

&

Questions