Lausanne; 17 January 2014: The European Olympic Committees (EOC)
Executive Committee today approved a proposal that ensures financial support based on the redistribution of revenues from the inaugural European Games in Baku in 2015 for participating National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and European Sport Federations.

The initial part of the first EOC Executive Committee meeting of 2014,chaired by EOC President Patrick Hickey, was given over to Baku 2015 policy matters with unanimous approval for a funding model proposed by Chairman of the EOC Coordination Commission for Baku 2015, Spyros Capralos.

This model ensures that all 49 EOC member NOCs will receive an equal share of 2.5 million Euros to assist them in preparing for the Games.
Furthermore, to incentivise Europe’s NOCs to deliver their best athletes to the Games, the EOC will distribute an additional fund to NOCs based on the national rankings of their athletes participating at Baku 2015. The EOC also agreed today to support the participating European Federations with a participation fee based on the general standing of each sport within the Olympic Movement.
In a further drive to ensure the continent’s leading athletes compete at Baku 2015, substantial additional EOC funding will be made available to those European Federations that use Baku 2015 as a qualification competition for the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.

EOC President Patrick Hickey, who is also an IOC Executive Board Member,said:

“It has been a very important and productive day for the European Olympic Committees. I am particularly grateful to President Bach for continuing the tradition of hosting the first EOC Executive Committee meeting of the year and joining us here at the IOC Headquarters.”

Other policies relating to Baku 2015 that were ratified at the EOC Executive Committee included:

* An eligibility agreement over participation by athletes under European Federations Rules
* A distribution agreement over universality places to ensure all NOCs can participate, and with a gender balance
* A mandate for President Hickey to ensure cooperation from the remaining Federations yet to commit to using Baku 2015 as a qualification platform for Rio 2016.

The next EOC EC meeting will take place in Cyprus on the eve of the EOC Seminar due to take place there next May.