Press releases

MINSK, 30 November (BelTA) – Qualification for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo is an essential condition for a sport to be included into the program of the 2019 European Games, First Vice President of the National Olympic Committee of Belarus Maksim Ryzhenkov told BelTA.

In his words, the number of sports to be represented at the 2019 European Games in Belarus is under consideration. “Everything will be spelled out in the corresponding contract. Representatives of the European Games organizing committee and also Head of the National Olympic Committee Alexander Lukashenko will express their opinions as well. Most likely the program will comprise such sports as freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, judo, sambo, rowing and canoeing, rhythmic and artistic gymnastics, acrobatics, trampoline tumbling, boxing, table tennis, cycling (road and track). We are also considering track and field athletics. We would like this sport to be represented on a wider scale at the Games and are currently thinking over its format. Team sport program of the 2019 European Games in Minsk is likely to include basketball, 3x3, and beach volleyball. Perhaps, women’s hockey will also make part of the program. When deciding on the inclusion of a sport into the program of the European Games, preference will be given to a sport which offers qualification for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo (except for sambo and acrobatics). This will make the Second European Games more attractive for world’s top athletes, which, in turn, will drive sales of broadcasting rights and increase the exposure of the European Games,” Maksim Ryzhenkov said.

Belarus was elected to host the Second European Games in 2019 after a vote at the 45th General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees in Minsk in October 2016.

The First European Games were hosted by the Azerbaijani capital on 12-28 June 2015. Belarus won 43 (10 gold, 11 silver and 22 bronze) medals to place 7th in the medal table in Baku.