European Games

[wamel042]

Let's skip the Universiad and start a new regional sport event: the European Games. All continents have their Games, but not for Europe. It would be quite a challenge, but perhaps this is also a way for "smaller" countries/cities (Holland, Finland, Czechia, Poland, Portugal) to host a major sportevent?

Any thoughts?

[Rafa]

Combine all the European World Champs into one event?

[memorabilia]

Let's skip the Universiad and start a new regional sport event: the European Games. All continents have their Games, but not for Europe. It would be quite a challenge, but perhaps this is also a way for "smaller" countries/cities (Holland, Finland, Czechia, Poland, Portugal) to host a major sportevent?

Any thoughts?

Why to link this creation to the Universiades ? Universiades are a World Wide event for students...

I am a big fan of the idea a european continental Games... but that will never happen as there is no wish from the european sport governing bodies to skip (or even to share) their european championships.... Business is Business....

[wamel042]

Why to link this creation to the Universiades ? Universiades are a World Wide event for students...

I am a big fan of the idea a european continental Games... but that will never happen as there is no wish from the european sport governing bodies to skip (or even to share) their european championships.... Business is Business....

Universiades are taking place without (hardly) any attention. Students can participate in regular Games, so in order to make "room" in the international agenda, perhaps the European Games can be a substitute. Of course, the chance of European Games taking place instead of the regular European Championships is not very big, but it is interesting to discuss the options.

[oakydoky]

I think a European continental multi-sport championship would be great.

It would mean combining all the specific sports into one championship hosted every 4 years. I think this would help 'tidy up' all the various sports championships and help to display them to full advantage.

[Rei]

Sorry but too many states/federations to conciliate and beside, no one from the top chiefs expressed the will so..

[wamel042]

Sorry but too many states/federations to conciliate and beside, no one from the top chiefs expressed the will so..

Too bad. I am sure that for many sports within European Games interest will be much bigger, such as canoeing, wrestling, rowing, equestrian, hockey etc. Several championships are now taking place, almost unnoticed. I think it is an upportinity!!

[Brekkie Boy]

It's amazing really the European Games (or Eurolympics as I'll dub them!) has never seemingly even been considered, never mind materialised, as it makes a lot of sense. Most European Championships pass by pretty much unnoticed, but combined into one multi-sport event (around the scale of the Commonwealth Games - so 14-15 events) would raise their profile immensely and be very attractive to broadcasters, and hence bring in more revenue.

Europe is more than capable of staging both summer and winter editions, with the games not just enabling smaller European cities who probably could not stage the Olympics to stage big events, but also enabling the bigger cities to showcase their capabilities and give them a better chance with future Olympic bids.

The only downside I can see is that some cities would lose out on hosting smaller single sport championships and they wouldn't be able to stage the all in one event, but apart from that I think the benefits are clear. It's something I thought should happen for a while, but while now probably too last to kick off a summer games in either 2014 or 2018 to mark 100 years since World War I, they could definately get a Winter games up and running in 2024 to mark 100 years of the Winter Olympics.

[markun]

I've often thought that a European Games (both summer and winter) would be great, especially as it's something cities which couldn't host the Olympics could bid for. I don't understand why you can't have the European Championships in the separate sports too...

[Brekkie Boy]

I guess it depends on the sport. Athletics has the structure of (for example), European in 2010, Worlds in 2011/13 and Olympics in 2012 so if the European Games were held in 2010 (I'd expect them to go for even non-Olympic years) it might not leave a slot for their own European Champs.

For other sports though who hold Euro Champs more than once every 4 years I'm sure they could continue separately.

[Sir Rols]

I've always been a bit dubious about the notion of a Euro games, but it looks like the notion just might be a possibility after all:

European Games on the agenda as support grows for rival to Asian and American events

By Jacquelin Magnay

A multi-sport European Games could be established amidst a crowded sporting calendar in the wake of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The association of European National Olympic Committees has comissioned a feasibility study into hosting an European Games, which would feature the Olympic sports and slot in between Olympic Games.

Irish Olympic Committee president Patrick Hickey said there was commercial support and interests from the international federations to have such a Games, modelled along the same lines as the Asian Games and the Pan American Games.

He said the European Uniion was always looking for suitable platforms to support and promote ''exactly what they do''.

Hickey said:'' We are halfway through a study we will hand it over to a professional organisation who might say its not on, or they might say its a winner and a very good idea.''

Meanwhile the Association of National Olympic Committees heard yesterday that Afghanistan had held its first democratic elections for officials on the national olympic committee.

Telegraph

[Detroit]

The challenge is, whether the UK competes as the UK, or as seperate entities(Wales, NI, Scotland, England). And this would be a GREAT opportunity for a smaller city to host a major event. These could thrive in a place like Dublin.

[memorabilia]

My linkhttp://www.morethanthegames.co.uk/summer-sports/2113038-european-games-a-nice-idea-politics-make-it-unlikely

[baron-pierreIV]

But where does Europe get cut off? The Urals? And will it include Israel which is always included in all the Euro groupings?

[Rafa]

What about Africa?

[Faster]

If the European games were held in the years before the Olympics and comprised the Olympic program it would eliminate the need for continental qualifying events for team sports. It would give countries like Hungary, Poland, and Sweden an opportunity to host and would make European sport a lot more consolidated and in a format that would be easily accessible.

[Fox334]

What about Africa?

Africa already has the All-African games.

[Athan]

We want these Games in Europe!!!

If the European games were held in the years before the Olympics and comprised the Olympic program it would eliminate the need for continental qualifying events for team sports.

Agree. When you look at qualifying tournaments for the Olympics, it's quite common to see the PanAmerican Games, the All-African Games and the European Olympic Qualifying Tournament (which isn't even the European championship)

[Lord David]

If this ever goes ahead, a perfect chance for smaller cities in Europe to get some Olympic like glory (the most they could hope for now is a Youth Olympics). A perfect way to bring in the ideals of the European Union. As for the cutoff, simple. All countries that aren't competing in the Asian Games that are located in Europe proper, should be eligible.

Naturally both Summer and Winter editions should be held. Sweden can finally prove it's capabilities of hosting a large scale event. Maybe Vaduz, Liechtenstein could host!

[4gamesandcounting]

I was thinking about this and my initial thought was "this is the death of the commonwealths", but actually its only malta, UK and cyprus of course in the CWG. I suppose it might mean the UK team at the CWG gets weaker. And more importantly UK cities would rather bid for the Europeans than the CWG? Thoughts?

[FYI]

Africa already has the All-African games.

He was being facetious.

[Sir Rols]

I was thinking about this and my initial thought was "this is the death of the commonwealths", but actually its only malta, UK and cyprus of course in the CWG. I suppose it might mean the UK team at the CWG gets weaker. And more importantly UK cities would rather bid for the Europeans than the CWG? Thoughts?

Yeah, the Commies probably have the most to lose.

It would seem logical to schedule them (the Euros) the year before the Summer Olys in line with the All-Africans, Pan-Ams and, soon, Asians. But if the Commies stayed as an even-year event, it could mean for the UK teams they could still serve as a preparation event for the Euros, which then become prep events for the Ollies. I agree, though, if it comes to hostings, UK contenders might fancy the Euros more.

It would be nice to have a platform for the likes of Sweden, Hungary, the Czechs, Ireland etc to start building their future hosting aspirations on and around. Though would all the big European capitals - Paris, Berlin, London, Madrid, Rome, Moscow be likely to want their goes too?

[4gamesandcounting]

If this happens I'm guessing it spells the end for things like the European Athletics Championships? No need to havetwo seperate events?

[Athan]

Though would all the big European capitals - Paris, Berlin, London, Madrid, Rome, Moscow be likely to want their goes too?

No. I speak in behalf of Spain, of course, I don't know how other NOCs work. IMO, the Spanish Olympic Committee would keep Madrid and Barcelona for big events like the Olympics while other big cities that can't host the Olympics, for a possible European Games (Seville, Valencia, Málaga...)

[Westfale]

I am against European Games. If it includes all Olympic sports, the host would still have to build many venues. Or you take again the capitals or Olympic cities. Smaller cities wont host these Games.