The test-event schedule for the European Games Minsk 2019 was released yesterday by the Minsk European Games Organising Committee (EOC) on the occasion of the Chefs de Mission Seminar being held in the Belarusian capital from 10-13 July.

The tests will begin with the fourth stage of the Euro Beach Soccer League from 3-5 August 2018 and will conclude in spring 2019. In total, 11 test events will be held in 2018 and 11 more in 2019.

MEGOC Deputy CEO and Sports Director Siarhei Shablyka presented the full schedule to the Chefs de Mission of 49 of the 50 European National Olympic Committees (ENOCs) that will participate in the 2nd edition of the European Games, scheduled for 21-30 June, 2019.

MEGOC CEO George Katulin welcomed the news, saying: “The test events mean we are getting closer to the start of Minsk 2019. That is an exciting prospect but one that also means we will need to be at our very best operationally already in one month’s time. This will be the perfect opportunity to show what we can do as an organisation, as a city, and as a country, while also learning valuable lessons about where we can make improvements ahead of 21 June 2019.”

In total, 4,082 athletes from all 50 European National Olympic Committees will compete in 15 sports in Minsk: 3×3 basketball, archery, athletics, badminton, beach soccer, beach volleyball, boxing, canoe sprint, cycling, judo, karate, sambo, shooting, table tennis and wrestling. Ten of the 15 sports will act as qualifiers for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, with the European Games also counting as the official European championships for four sports.

There will be 91 men’s events, 89 women’s events and 21 mixed events in total, with 115 universality spots available.