2015 European Games

I European Games
Host city Baku, Azerbaijan
Nations participating 50
Athletes participating 5,898
Events 253 in 20 sports
Opening ceremony June 12
Closing ceremony June 28
Officially opened by President Ilham Aliyev
Torch lighter Ilham Zakiyev, Said Guliyev, Aydemir Aydemirov and Nargiz Nasirzade
Main venue Baku National Stadium
Website baku2015.com
2019  >

The 2015 European Games, also known as Baku 2015 or Baku 2015 European Games (Azerbaijani: Bakı 2015 Avropa Oyunları), were the inaugural edition of the European Games, an international multi-sport event for athletes representing the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of the European Olympic Committees. It took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 12 to 28 June 2015,[1] and featured almost 6,000 athletes from 50 countries competing in 20 sports.[2][3]

Host city selection

Baku was awarded the right to host the first European Games at the 41st EOC General Assembly in Rome, on 8 December 2012. The European Games will take place every four years thereafter, with the next competition due to be held in 2019.

The decision was made as a result of secret balloting, where of 48 votes, 38 were in favor of the sole bidder for the event.[4] Eight votes were against, and two more abstained from voting. The representatives of Armenia refused to take part in the voting.[5]

Organisation

The Organising Committee responsible for the inaugural European Games in Baku was established by decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Committee is chaired by the First Lady of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva,[6] member of the Executive Committee of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. Baku 2015 European Games Operations Committee (BEGOC) was established under the direction of the Chairperson of the Organising Committee.

The Chief Executive Officer of BEGOC is Azad Rahimov, Minister of Youth and Sport while the Chief Operating Officer is Simon Clegg.[6]

Venues

Baku National Stadium
National Gymnastics Arena on a stamp
Crystal Hall

There were four clusters and 18 competition venues for the inaugural European Games, including 12 that were designed to become permanent venues. Five of the venues were new-builds: the National Gymnastics Arena, BMX Velopark, Baku Aquatics Centre, Baku Shooting Centre and National Stadium. There were six temporary venues: Water Polo Arena, Beach Arena, Basketball Arena, Mountain Bike Velopark, Triathlon, Cycling road race and time trial.

The Athletes Village, located in the Nizami raion of Baku,[7] comprises 13 buildings, 16 different types of apartments with three to four bedrooms per apartment.[8]

Key to colours
E Existing
N New
T Temporary
Village cluster
Venue Sports Capacity
Baku National Stadium Ceremonies, athletics 68,000 N
National Gymnastics Arena Gymnastics 6,862 N
Flag square cluster
Venue Sports Capacity
Baku Aquatics Centre Swimming, diving, synchronized swimming 6,000 N
Water Polo Arena Water polo 2,400 T
Beach Arena Beach soccer, beach volleyball 3,900 T
Basketball Arena 3x3 basketball 2,500 T
Crystal Hall Volleyball 6,000 E
Boxing 3,400
Fencing, karate, taekwondo 2,000
City cluster
Venue Sports Capacity
Baku Sports Hall Badminton, table tennis 1,700 E
Tofiq Bahramov Stadium Archery 31,200 E
Heydar Aliyev Arena Judo, wrestling, sambo 7,700 E
Other venues
Venue Sports Capacity
Baku Shooting Centre Shooting 500 N
Mountain Bike Velopark Mountain biking 1,670 T
BMX Velopark Cycling BMX 1,600 N
Bilgah Beach Triathlon 1,500 T
Kur Sport and Rowing Centre, Mingachevir Canoe sprint 1,300 E

Ticketing

Ticket for judo competitions

Baku 2015 European Games launched an online sales page on its website to allow fans purchasing tickets for the inaugural event.[9]

Adult tickets for sport sessions range between AZN 2 – AZN 5, according to competition round (for example preliminary or final), seat category, and venue.

Volunteers

Organisers aimed to recruit 12,500 volunteers to play roles during the Games, including assisting athletes and dignitaries, working at sport competitions, or providing assistance to spectators or the media. Baku 2015 European Games volunteers were called Flamekeepers.[10] 6,000 Ceremonies Performers voluntarily took part in the opening and closing ceremonies.[11]

Opening ceremony

The opening ceremony started on 12 June in the National Stadium[12] and was directed by artistic choreographer Dimitris Papaioannou who was praised for his work during 2004 Summer Olympics.[13][14][15][16] Singer Lady Gaga performed "Imagine", a cover from John Lennon at the event.[17] The shapeshifting scene featured the representations of Yanar Dag and the Gobustan rock carvings, in particular.[18] The woman on the stage (Nargiz Nasirzade) and the man (Aydemir Aydemirov) embodied the arrival of spring. Two thousand artists gathered at the scene to perform the yalli dance at the end.[18] The opening ceremony was broadcast live on the official YouTube channel of the Games. The ceremony was attended by several heads of states and other officials.[18]

Closing ceremony

The Closing Ceremony was held on 28 June in the National Stadium. James Hadley was the Artistic Director and Christian Steinhäuser was the Music Director of the Closing Ceremony.[19]

Games

Participating NOCs

All countries participating in the 2015 European Games in green. Host country (Azerbaijan) in purple.

50 national olympic committees participated in this European Games edition, including the Olympic Committee of Kosovo in its first time at a wide multi-sport event. Since the Faroe Islands and Gibraltar are not members of the European Olympic Committee, the Faroese participants occurred for the Ligue Européenne de Natation and the Gibraltar participants for the Athletic Association of Small States of Europe.

Participating National Olympic Committees[20]

Sports

A total of 20 sports will be represented: 16 Olympic sports, two Olympic sports contested only in non-Olympic formats (basketball and football) and two non-Olympic sports (karate and sambo). Two para-sport events were contested judo. Twelve of the sports (archery, athletics, boxing, cycling, judo, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, volleyball, wrestling) will offer qualification opportunities for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The aquatic sports are only open to junior-level competitors, and the athletics competition forms the third division of the European Team Championships.

Calendar

The competition schedule consists of 253 events.[22][23] The Agenda as the competition schedule may change.

OCOpening ceremony ●Event competitions 1Event finals CCClosing ceremony
June 12th
Fri		 13th
Sat		 14th
Sun		 15th
Mon		 16th
Tue		 17th
Wed		 18th
Thu		 19th
Fri		 20th
Sat		 21st
Sun		 22nd
Mon		 23rd
Tue		 24th
Wed		 25th
Thu		 26th
Fri		 27th
Sat		 28th
Sun		 Medal
Events
       CeremoniesOC CC
Archery ● 1 2 ● ● 1 1 5
Athletics ● 1 1
Badminton ● ● ● ● ● 2 3 5
Basketball (3x3) ● ● ● 2 2
Beach soccer ● ● ● ● 1 1
Boxing ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 5 5 5 15
Canoe sprint ● 5 10 15
Cycling BMX ● ● 2 8
Mountain biking 2
Road cycling 2 1 1
Diving 2 2 2 2 8
Fencing 2 2 2 3 3 12
Gymnastics ● 2 1 2 3 10 16 34
Judo 5 6 5 2 18
Karate 6 6 12
Sambo 8 8
Shooting 3 3 2 2 3 3 3 19
Swimming 7 8 9 7 11 42
Synchronised swimming ● ● ● 2 2 4
Table tennis ● ● 2 ● ● ● 2 4
Taekwondo 2 2 2 2 8
Triathlon 1 1 2
Volleyball ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 1 1 ● ● ● ● ● 1 1 4
Water polo ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 1 1 2
Wrestling 4 4 4 4 4 4 24
Total 13 11 15 21 11 16 11 18 25 13 9 10 21 23 27 9 253
June 12th
Fri		 13th
Sat		 14th
Sun		 15th
Mon		 16th
Tue		 17th
Wed		 18th
Thu		 19th
Fri		 20th
Sat		 21st
Sun		 22nd
Mon		 23rd
Tue		 24th
Wed		 25th
Thu		 26th
Fri		 27th
Sat		 28th
Sun		 Medal
Events

Medal table

2015 European Games medal table
 Rank  NOC Gold Silver Bronze Total
1  Russia (RUS) 79 40 45 164
2  Azerbaijan (AZE)* 21 15 20 56
3  Great Britain (GBR) 18 10 19 47
4  Germany (GER) 16 17 33 66
5  France (FRA) 12 13 18 43
6  Italy (ITA) 10 26 11 47
7  Belarus (BLR) 10 11 22 43
8  Ukraine (UKR) 8 14 24 46
9  Netherlands (NED) 8 12 9 29
10  Spain (ESP) 8 11 11 30
Total (42 NOCs) 253 253 338 844
Key

  *   Host nation (Azerbaijan)

Broadcasting

International Sports Broadcasting (ISB) will be the host broadcaster of the European Games.[24] During the Games, ISB will produce an anticipated 800 hours of broadcast coverage.

Europe
Rest of the world

Controversies

Human rights situation and media bans

Amnesty International have been a vocal critic of the Baku 2015 European Games, stating in March 2015, "Azerbaijan may be a safe country for athletes taking part in the 100 metres, but defending rights and free speech is a dangerous game here. Those who champion them receive harassment and prison sentences instead of medals.".[51] In August 2014, the human rights organisation highlighted the 24 prisoners of conscience being held in Azerbaijan prisons as an example of abuses.[52] Western countries also criticized Aliyev's intention to close the OSCE offices in Baku.[53]

In June 2015, The Guardian reported that its own reporters, along with those of other media outlets, had been barred from entering Baku to cover the games. Human Rights Watch, in the same article, stated it had observed "the worst crackdown the country has seen in the post-Soviet era".[54]

Most European heads of state and government refused to participate at the opening ceremony,[55] sending mid- or low-level representatives instead. Among those who did participate were Vladimir Putin of Russia, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey, Aleksander Lukashenko of Belarus, Boyko Borisov of Bulgaria and Victor Ponta of Romania. Ponta and Borisov faced criticism at home for their participation.[53]

Bus accident

For many, the Games were overshadowed by a road accident, where a coach driver ploughed into a group of young Austrian athletes when mixing up accelerator and brake, with the incident recorded by a surveillance camera. 15-year-old Austrian synchronized swimmer Vanessa Sahinovic and her team mates Lisa Breit and Luna Pajer were injured. Sahinovic was placed in an induced coma and flown to Vienna for emergency surgery. Sahinovic was left paraplegic in the accident. Because of the accident, Austria had to withdraw from the team competition. In the synchronized swimming duet competition, sisters Anna-Maria and Eirini-Maria Alexandri however won the silver medal which they dedicated to the injured team mates. Sahinovic's mother said since she saw the video of the accident she is less despaired and kind of grateful that Vanessa is alive and her head is ok. The police officer who released the video of the surveillance camera was relieved of his duties. Sahinovic works on her recovery, and is supported by an initiative of Austrian swimmers and a fundraising campaign.[56] [57][58] [59] [60] [61][62] [63] [64]

Marketing

Logo and mascots

Mascots of the Games, Jeyran (gazelle) and Nar (pomegranate)

The official logo for the Baku 2015 European Games was unveiled on 16 June 2014.[65] Designed by Adam Yunusov, it was inspired by country’s ancient and contemporary culture.[66] The logo includes flame, water, the mythical Simurgh bird, an Azerbaijani carpet and a pomegranate as one of the symbols of Azerbaijani profusion.[66][67] The pomegranate, called Nar (pomegranate in Azerbaijani), is one of two mascots for the Games, along with a gazelle named Jeyran (gazelle in Azerbaijani). The couple are intended to represent the spirit of Azerbaijan and help excite the youth for the event.[68]

Brand and visual identity

The brand incorporates traditional Azerbaijani imagery with images and colours designed to evoke a European sporting feel. The pomegranate tree, whose fruit juice is one of Azerbaijan's main exports, features heavily. The brand was created with legacy potential in mind, possibly inspired by the way the Commonwealth Games’ branding retains a similar feel each year.[69]

Sponsors

On 21 May 2014, Procter & Gamble became the first official partner of the inaugural European Games.[70][71] Swiss watchmaker Tissot has been named the official timekeeper and will provide all timing and scoring services.[72] On 13 November 2014, Motorola Solutions also teamed up with Baku 2015 as the Official Radio Communications Supporter.[73]

Official partners Official supporters Official child rights organisation

Torch relay

On Sunday April 26 the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, captured the official flame of the Baku 2015 European Games.[74] The flame had visited 60 locations until the final torchbearer entered the National Stadium for the Opening Ceremony on 12 June.[75]

Route

References

  1. ↑ "About the Games". Baku2015.com. Baku 2015 European Games Operation Committee (BEGOC). Archived from the original on 13 October 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  2. ↑ "Participants". Baku2015.com. Baku 2015 European Games Operation Committee (BEGOC). Archived from the original on 27 August 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Sports". Baku2015.com. Baku 2015 European Games Operation Committee (BEGOC). Archived from the original on 28 August 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  4. ↑ Duncan Mackay. "Baku to host first European Games in 2015". insidethegames.biz - Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games News.
  5. ↑ "İlk Avropa Oyunları Bakıda keçiriləcək - YENİLƏNİB - FOTO". MILLI.AZ. Archived from the original on 2012-12-11.
  6. 1 2 "Baku 2015: Organisation". www.baku2015.com. Archived from the original on 27 August 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  7. ↑ "Baku 2015 - Athletes Village". baku2015.com. Archived from the original on 2014-08-29.
  8. ↑ "Athletes Village at Baku 2015 European Games Will Be World Class". aroundtherings.com. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  9. ↑ "President and First Lady of Azerbaijan purchase first Baku 2015 tickets". baku2015.com.
  10. ↑ "Baku 2015 European Games volunteers to be called Flamekeepers". baku2015.com.
  11. ↑ "Baku 2015 European Games hosts performer auditions for Opening and Closing Ceremonies". baku2015.com.
  12. ↑ "Baku confident of being ready for European Games". Reuters.
  13. ↑ "Athens Olympics Art Director To Produce 2015 European Games Opening in Baku". en.ria.ru. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  14. ↑ Cushan, David. "FiveCurrents and Papaioannou hired to produce Baku 2015 opening". www.sportspromedia.com. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  15. ↑ "Baku 2015 - Baku 2015 European Games appoints Artistic Director for Opening Ceremony". baku2015.com.
  16. ↑ "Первые Европейские игры открываются в Баку" (in Russian). Russian News Agency "TASS". 12 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  17. ↑ "Lady Gaga stars in Baku 2015 Opening Ceremony". Baku2015.com. 12 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  18. 1 2 3 "Official Opening Ceremony Program of “Baku-2015” I European Games ends". Azerbaijan Press Agency. 12 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  19. ↑ "Baku 2015 European Games appoints Artistic Director for Closing Ceremony". baku2015.com.
  20. ↑ "Baku 2015 European Games - Countries". Baku 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  21. ↑ Israel sends 141 athletes to European Games
  22. ↑ "Baku 2015 - Schedule". baku2015.com. Archived from the original on 2014-08-28.
  23. ↑ schedule version 4.0
  24. ↑ "International Sports Broadcasting (ISB) Selected As Host Broadcaster For Inaugural European Games In Baku". baku2015.com. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Baku 2015 - Baku 2015 European Games signs broadcasting agreements with five countries". baku2015.com. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Baku 2015 signs new deals to show European Games in Europe and Central Asia". baku2015.com.
  28. 1 2 3 Gary Anderson. "Baku 2015 announce broadcast deals in Belgium, Romania and Hungary". insidethegames.biz - Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games News.
  29. ↑ "BNT will show live the Bulgarian participation in Baku 2015".
  30. ↑ "Croatia’s sport fans to enjoy extensive TV coverage of Baku 2015".
  31. ↑ "Baku 2015 -European Games på TV 2". tv2.dk (in Danish).
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Baku 2015 - Baku 2015 European Games signs five major European broadcast deals". baku2015.com. Archived from the original on 2015-02-02.
  33. 1 2 "Baku 2015 - Baku 2015 European Games signs broadcast deals with two more European countries". baku2015.com. Archived from the original on 2015-02-12.
  34. ↑ "Baku 2015 - Baku 2015 European Games signs broadcast agreement with French television station L’Equipe 21". baku2015.com. Archived from the original on 2014-11-05.
  35. 1 2 3 4 "Baku 2015 - Baku 2015 signs TV deals in four more countries". baku2015.com.
  36. 1 2 DOSB. "Der Deutsche Olympische Sportbund : SPORT1 überträgt Europaspiele Baku 2015". dosb.de.
  37. ↑ "Baku 2015 - Baku 2015 European Games signs broadcast agreement with Ireland’s Setanta Sports". baku2015.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015.
  38. ↑
  39. ↑ "Baku 2015 - Baku 2015 European Games signs broadcast agreement with Poland 's Polsat Network". baku2015.com.
  40. ↑ "Baku 2015 European Games - Press Releases - Serbia Signs Up For Baku 2015 European Games Coverage". Baku 2015. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  41. ↑ Duncan Mackay. "Baku 2015 signs first international broadcast agreement". insidethegames.biz - Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games News.
  42. ↑ "BT Sport to broadcast European Games". BT Sport. 23 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  43. ↑ "Baku 2015 - Baku 2015 European Games signs major broadcast agreement with Arab States Broadcasting Union". baku2015.com. Archived from the original on 2014-11-28.
  44. ↑ Knox, David (April 9, 2015). "Seven to broadcast European Games". TV Tonight. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  45. 1 2 3 "Baku 2015 European Games has agreed another television deal outside the continent of Europe to show the inaugural event.". baku2015.com.
  46. ↑ "Baku 2015 - Baku 2015 European Games signs broadcast deal with China Central Television". baku2015.com. Archived from the original on 2014-12-26.
  47. ↑ "Baku 2015 - Baku 2015 signs broadcast agreement with India’s NEO Sports". baku2015.com.
  48. ↑ "Baku 2015 - Baku 2015 signs Iran deal to reach 75 million audience". baku2015.com.
  49. ↑ "Baku 2015 - Baku 2015 European Games signs deal with Japanese broadcaster". baku2015.com. Archived from the original on 2014-11-05.
  50. ↑ "Baku 2015 - Latin America tunes into the Baku 2015 European Games". baku2015.com.
  51. ↑ "Baku: a city of stark contrasts ahead of European Games in Azerbaijan". March 2015.
  52. ↑ "Top British Baku 2015 Organiser: Not My Job to Criticise Azerbaijan Human Rights Abuses". August 2014.
  53. 1 2 "Victor Ponta, în galeria celor mai înverșunați lideri politici. Reacţii dure după controversata decizie a premierului". Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  54. ↑ "Azerbaijan bans Guardian from reporting on Baku European Games". June 2015.
  55. ↑ Shearlaw, Maeve; Jones, Charlie. "From political prisoners to media bans: Baku's European Games in numbers". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  56. ↑ "European Games: Bus driver held over injured athletes". BBC News. 13 June 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  57. ↑ "Baku Police Officer Fired Over Video Of Bus Ramming Athletes". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  58. ↑ Bus arrolla a nadadoras austriacas en Baku . Inexplicable !, Video of surveillance camera.
  59. ↑ "When I’m underwater I forget all my problems and the world seems much better than before". 3 October 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  60. ↑ Schicksalshafter Moment in Baku, orf.at, 2010-10-18
  61. ↑ Vanessa Sahinovic und ihr neues Leben - Teil 1!, ORF, Sport am Sonntag, 2015-10-18.
  62. ↑ Vanessa Sahinovic über ihr Leben nach dem Unfall - Teil 2!, ORF, Sport am Sonntag, 2015-10-18.
  63. ↑ Ein Unfall und viele offene Fragen, Der Standard, 2015-12-21.
  64. ↑ „Aus dem alten Leben rausgerissen“, orf.at, 2012-12-27
  65. ↑ Korram, Andy. "The "European Games, Baku 2015" disclosed their official logo". en.mastaekwondo.com. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  66. 1 2 "Baku 2015 European Games: an exciting blend of ancient and contemporary culture". uk.news.yahoo.com. Euronews. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  67. ↑ Idyatova, Sabina. "Pomegranate: a crowned fruit". www.azernews.az. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  68. ↑ "Baku 2015 European Games Unveils Official Mascots Jeyran And Nar". www.baku2015.com. Archived from the original on 28 November 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  69. ↑ "Cultural icon brings European Games brand to life". Transform magazine. 30 September 2014. Archived from the original on 20 October 2014.
  70. ↑ "Baku 2015 unveil Procter & Gamble as first sponsor for European Games". www.insidethegames.biz. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  71. ↑ Jafarova, Aynur. "BP becomes Baku 2015 European Games official partner". www.azernews.az. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  72. ↑ Mackay, Duncan. "New partner for Baku 2015 as Tissot named official timekeeper". www.insidethegames.biz. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  73. ↑ "Baku 2015 European Games signs Motorola Solutions as Official Supporter". www.marketwatch.com. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  74. ↑ "President Aliyev Captures Baku 2015 European Games Flame at Ancient Temple, Ateshgah". Baku 2015.
  75. ↑ "Baku 2015 Media Guide" (PDF). Baku 2015.
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