Minsk’s Dinamo Stadium, due to host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies as well as the athletics events during next year’s European Games in Belarus’ capital, has received a class one facility certificate from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

The certificate was signed by IAAF President Sebastian Coe and IAAF Technical Committee chairman Jorge Salcedo, allowing to host international tournaments of the highest level, including World Championships.

Alina Talay was among the Belarusian athletes to praise the quality of the 22,000-capacity sports arena, re-developed with a year to go before Minsk 2019 gets underway. “The Minsk stadium is of the highest class”, Talay, a world bronze medallist in the women’s 100 metres hurdles in 2015, reported to the Belarusian Telegraph Agency (BeITA). “Before entering the arena I had a feeling of being at the World Championships or the Olympic Games”, she also added.

Simon Clegg, the Executive Director of the 2019 European Games – taking place in Minsk between June 21 and 30 – has praised the swiftness with which the venue has been re-developed. “The Dinamo Stadium in Minsk impresses with its scale and atmosphere. I believe we will be able to hold an amazing Opening Ceremony for the second European Games and athletics competitions “, Clegg said.

Sebastian Coe, in a meeting with Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko at the Dinamo Stadium, told him: “You have fulfilled and even over fulfilled your promise”.