The two-day Baku 2015 debrief got underway today in Rome, as the European Olympic Committees [EOC] seeks to harness the experience and best practice blueprints established during the successful inaugural European Games in July.
The debrief, chaired by EOC President Patrick Hickey, is bringing together members of the EOC Executive Committee, including the Baku 2015 Coordination Commission Chairman, Spyros Capralos; senior Directors from the Baku 2015 European Games Operating Committee, including COO Simon Clegg and the Sports Director, Pierce O’Callaghan; representatives from Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Youth and Sport; and a number of expert advisers. Patrick Hickey also held private meetings with Azerbaijan’s Minister of Youth and Sport, Azad Rahimov.
On the agenda are a wide range of planning and operational topics – from Sports Programme composition to protocol – with the focus very much on ensuring the European Games model is enhanced before it is handed on to the organisers of the next edition in 2019.
Speaking from Rome, Patrick Hickey said:
"Baku 2015 exceeded all our expectations and I must say that Azerbaijan has done a great service to the European Games concept. The inaugural Games has received incredible praise from all quarters of the Olympic Family and we could not have wished for a better way to tell the world: the European Games has arrived.
"The EOC is focused on ensuring all of this great knowledge and experience is retained for future editions. Creating a comprehensive blueprint of the operations behind the Baku 2015 European Games was a crucial element of the EOC’s planning from day one. Flexibility and innovation remain our watchwords, but we now have a strong foundation of internationally recognised best-practices in place and we have to build on that."
During the opening session of the meeting, Patrick Hickey received a set of ceremonial Baku 2015 medals from Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Youth and Sport. The EOC will be revealing key conclusions and data from the European Games in due course.
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