The Netherlands will take the torch of Baku 2015 European Games, as the country’s bid won the European Games 2019.
The decision was taken at the meeting of the Extraordinary General Assembly of the European Olympic Committee in Turkey on May 16. The representatives of 50 National Olympic Committees of Europe gathered in Belek for their annual seminar.
Invited by the Turkish NOC and its President Ugur Erdener, 180 delegates addressed the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and Agenda 2020.
The second day of the event discussed the inaugural European Games in Baku. Following, a workshop was transformed into an Extraordinary General Assembly, which decided on the venue for the second European Games.
The Dutch were the only bidders for the European Games 2019, an exciting and innovative new multi-sport event for the continent.
EOC president Patrick Hickey said the Dutch proposition “prioritizes flexibility, sustainability and world-class quality.”
The country is expected to hold the Games in different cities – which are not defined yet. Amsterdam, The Hague and Eindhoven are expected to be the main host cities though, while Rotterdam and Utrecht withdrew in view of the cost.
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According to DutchNews, there might be a financial issue remaining, before the 2019 European Games are set to be in the Netherlands:
The organisation of the 2019 games has a price tag of €125m which the sports body hopes to raise from national, local and provincial government as well as commercial sponsorship.
A number of sports associations are known to be concerned about the finances and have criticised the government for not coming forward with a substantial part of the budget. Rotterdam and Utrecht have also pulled out of the organising process because of the costs.
The sports ministry says it will take a decision on whether or not to support the event by the end of June.
According to Around the Rings, swimming might have a bigger presence at the 2019 European Games than now at the Baku 2015 Games:
Swimming will also only have a minor presence at Baku 2015.
But Hickey says meetings are being planned with the European swimming federation to ensure the 2019 Games offers a much bigger aquatics program.
Photo by John-Morgan 
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