European Games

[stryker]

Came across an article on Around The Rings where the president of the European Olympic Committees, Patrick Hickey, has said that progress is being made towards a European Games. It would make sense. Every other major continent has one. Why not Europe?

[fatixxx]

There was allready a topic about the same issue. But I couldn't find it.

There was been discussed a lot on that same topic as I remember.

But my personal opinion was that it would be doable just after the WOG years.

regards

fatih

[baron-pierreIV]

Came across an article on Around The Rings where the president of the European Olympic Committees, Patrick Hickey, has said that progress is being made towards a European Games. It would make sense. Every other major continent has one. Why not Europe?

Because the sports calendar is already full; there are World Championships galore and the Europeans fill mostly the top ranks of those competitions, but hey...this might be trick over those YOGs. Maybe get some of those white elephants used.

[Texas]

I'd expect most of the countries currently a part of UEFA to be involved in these games. I say most because I see England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (who all have separate teams in UEFA) as Great Britain and the Faroe Islands with Denmark. Albania would probably feature athletes from Kosovo.

[intoronto]

I think the dates used by the Summer Olympics/Winter Olympics in the years were the opposite occurs is the best.

So 2014 Summer

2016 Winter

Anyways, I heard London will stage the first games if it comes to existence.

[memorabilia]

I'd expect most of the countries currently a part of UEFA to be involved in these games. I say most because I see England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (who all have separate teams in UEFA) as Great Britain and the Faroe Islands with Denmark. Albania would probably feature athletes from Kosovo.

As on every continent, in Europe there is something called EOC that gathered all European NOCs : the European Olympic Committees

Here a list of the 49 Nocs (probably almost the same as the UEFA one...) :

http://www.eurolympic.org/en/enocs.html

[baron-pierreIV]

Look at the calendar:

- NOt going to happen in a Summer Olympic year (which is also the UEFA year, right?)

The IAAFs and FINAs happen in the odd years. Beach volleyball is all over the place already. Gymnastics, Figure Skating, etc. already have their ANNUAL champs. So where else are they going to stick this in?

Most logical time to place this is opposite the CWGs since the UK, Ireland and Malta will be the only overlaps. They're going to have to decide where to send their best athletes. But basketball and indoor volleyball would have to be EXCLUDED since their Worlds take place about late summer-early fall of the WOG-WC-CWG year.

Here's the other thing: most of western Europe's cities are physically quite mature already. How many athletes would be involved in a European Games (I imagine, just summer sports)? 5,000? So unless they are able to use University dorms, creating a rather large village would be a big obstacle. Not unless they convert all those empty, upscale subdivisions in Ireland??

[memorabilia]

And by the way here is the old thread :

[intoronto]

@Baron you are right then there are the Asian and Pan American Games. You don't want to put them at the same time.

Another thing the world cup/Euro is in June/July I propose them being held in August.

Don't forget the Winter European Games.

And, countries such as Kazakhstan will try to join the EOC if the games are made.

[baron-pierreIV]

@Baron you are right

I always am. 99.3% of the time.

I propose them being held in August.

If they will be using university dorms, that's the latest they would have to be put on...because the dorms would then still have to turned over to the schools in a few weeks' time.

[Texas]

As on every continent, in Europe there is something called EOC that gathered all European NOCs : the European Olympic Committees

Here a list of the 49 Nocs (probably almost the same as the UEFA one...) :

http://www.eurolympic.org/en/enocs.html

Pretty much like UEFA except that Great Britain is one instead of splitting between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, also no Kazakhstan or Faroe Islands.

[intoronto]

I always am. 99.3% of the time.

If they will be using university dorms, that's the latest they would have to be put on...because the dorms would then still have to turned over to the schools in a few weeks' time.

I do believe this has the potential to become the third biggest sporting event (after the Olympics/World Cup) so a village should be built for later versions.

[Brekkie Boy]

Because the sports calendar is already full; there are World Championships galore and the Europeans fill mostly the top ranks of those competitions, but hey...this might be trick over those YOGs. Maybe get some of those white elephants used.

Most sports though have European Championships, and in many cases a European Games would replace those - so scheduling not too much an issue. As said they'd likely be in non-Olympic even years - and even the Commonwealth Games might not be the stumbling block it once was considering unless it's held in the UK it seems to be held either at the very beginning or very end of the season now.

From a British (well, Welsh) point of view though regardless of whether or not the Commonwealth Games were to continue I'd like it if the nations were represented in the Eurolympics, rather than just GBR.

However with the current financial situation I think these might be put off that bit longer - but it would be nice to have the winter version going in 2024 to mark 100 years since the start of the Winter Olympics, assuming the IOC are not intending to mark it themselves with an extra games (we'd surely know by now if they were!).

Ultimately though I think these would be good for Europe, both in allowing bigger cities to prove their Olympic credentials and in enabling smaller cities the chance to hold a major games even though the Olympics is out of reach. It's crucial though for them to take off that initially any TV deals are through the EBU to guarantee free to air coverage across Europe as if they're sidelined to pay-TV even though it might bring them more money in the short term, it will be very difficult for them to establish the games in the conciousness of Europeans.

[deawebo]

London deserves beeing the first summer host, Garmisch-Pantenkirchen the first winter host.

[OneTimeOnly]

The last thing the world needs is ANOTHER multi sport event.

Pan American Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, African Games, Medi-fucking-terranean games, YOG's. The list goes on ad-nauseam. All of them completely superfluous and unnecessary. Get rid of them all. The Olympic Games and the World Championships for each sport are more than enough. Oh, and someone tell FIS that in an Olympic year, *you don't need to have a freaking world championships*.

I meant ISU, not FIS.

[olimpik]

Mediterrenean Games functions as half-European Games so I think there is no need another European based games i guess.

[wamel042]

Quite optimistic to look at the mediteranean Games as half of Europe.....I think European Games is a very good idea. Most of the European Championships are taking place without being noticed by the general public. Creating a new (bigger) event is surely more interesting than several small events

[oakydoky]

I think a European games would be great in principle but ofcourse, it's a question of structuring it within the sporting calendar.

Of the 'regional' games, The European games would have the highest calibre sporting action consistently across the board of sports so I think would make a great spectacle.

Maybe Tier-2 cities could host these games?

[baron-pierreIV]

How about the Games of the Defaulting Debtor Nations? You should have at least a dozen to start out with...

[wamel042]

Suggestions for the first editions:

2015: Helsinki

2019: Vienna

2023: AMSTERDAM

[markun]

If the calendar is considered to be too full I would say there is a strong argument for replacing the Mediterranean Games with the European Games.

Africa and Asia already have their own continental games so they wouldn't lose out too much and given the state of the Mediterranean Games hosts and bids lately along with the continuing farce of excluding Israel I think they might have had their day.

I think a high profile European Games would be a great adition to the calendar, a winter games too would be very nice.

[Brekkie Boy]

The calendar is only really an issue for the Commonwealth Games due to the cross-continent concept. With the European Games it would be in both the European and World federations interests to make sure it fitted into the calendar - and arguably it will be easier to slot in than the Olympics as they could strictly stipulate the exact couple of weeks it'll fall every 4 years.

[SwissO]

According to Around The Rings, the vote for the European Games could take place on 2012 April the 12th...

http://www.aroundtherings.com/articles/view.aspx?id=38595

[intoronto]

Get rid of the Meditarannean games.

[wamel042]

Get rid of the Meditarannean games.

Or Universiad.....taking place relatively unnoticed.