Baku, 11th July preparations for the inaugural European Games that will be held in the Azerbaijani capital in just under two years’ time are now fully underway, as seen by an EOC delegation that was in Baku at the beginning of July for a second visit since the decision to launch the event.

EOC Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi, CoCom Chair Spyros Capralos and a small team of experts, including Andrew Craig and Dermot Henihan, had meetings with the Azeri Sports Minister Azad Rahimov, assisted by Farhad Hajiyev, and BEGOC’s Jim Scherr and Doug Arnot, accompanied by NOC Vice President Chingiz Huseynzadah and International Relations Manager Konul Nurullayeva, to discuss some urgent key aspects of preparations.

The delegation was pleased to see how BEGOC has moved ahead with plans for setting up a team of experienced professionals, and very much liked the concept for the Village, which promises to be top quality, and also discussed the programmes for the sports and disciplines, transport, the media, volunteers, and so on.

President Patrick Hickey, who was unable to make it to Baku as he needed to attend the IOC EB meeting and Extraordinary Session in Lausanne, was fully briefed on the meetings.

The Baku 2015 Organisers will shortly launch their website, through which they will be giving full information to the ENOCs.

The EOC has sent out the circular to all Member NOCs, giving details on the preparations in place to date and the work done by the EOC Baku 2015 Coordination Commission.