Euro Games

[marcos]

Like someone said in the topic:"Youth Games",I prefer a new type of Olympic games, the Euro games........

Which is your opinion,do you support an Euro Games?

[wamel042]

Some time ago I already launched the idea of European Games, such as Pan American Games, Asian Games or All African Games, but at that the support for such an idea was not very big.

I think it it could be a great event, because it gives more European cities the opportunity to stage international games. With the Olympics in London in 2012 Europe must probably wait untill 2020 (or perhaps even 2024) untill the Olympics will come back to Europe. I think the IOC wants to see Olympic Games in Africa and South America or even north America in the near future.

Look at the list I made (if the European Games would start in 2010):

2010: Athens - Greece (existing venues of the 2004 Olympics)

2014: Rome - Italy

2018: Amsterdam - Netherlands

2022: Stockholm - Sweden

2026: St. Petersburg - Russia

2030: Prague - Czechia

I think this event deserves a place.

My vote goes to Amsterdam:

Athletics: Olympic Stadium (1928)

Ceremonies: AmsterdamArena

Rowing/Canoeing: Bosbaan

Gymnastics: Rai Exhibition Center

Judo/Wrestling: Sportpaleis Ahoy (Rotterdam)

Swimming/Diving: Sloterparkbad

Soccer: AmsterdamArena, De Kuip, Philips Stadion, Euroborg Stadion, De Galgewaard

Fieldhockey: Wagener Stadion

Tennis: Frans Otten Stadion

[cesco_82]

is that there are too many events in europe the cause why they don't organize the euro games?

[Faster]

is that there are too many events in europe the cause why they don't organize the euro games?

If all the European championships are condensed into a European Games, except football it wouldn't be that bad and would lighten up the calendar.

[cesco_82]

^^ but how does it work in the other continents?

i mean...there's no continental championship in Americas coz there are the panamericans? there's no campionship in asia coz of the asian games?

[Sir Rols]

The plethora of Euro championships are indeed why they don't have a Euro games. Various sports honchos, including Rogge, have said that's the reason.

"I'm not a boaster, but the fact is, whether others like it or not, Europe is the leading Olympic entrant: in the number of competitors, medals, the range of experts. We don't have a continental games _ we don't want them." _ Jacques Rogge in 1989, when he was head of the European Association of NOCs, and just recently elected onto the IOC.

I don't think there are as many continental championships in other areas _ I certainly don't know of many Oceania championships etc. And if there are, most of the others would have very little depth, unlike Europe where they are all strong competitions in their own right.

[arwebb]

That is the major problem. If you could condense all the championships in the sports which would make up a European Games it would, as has already been said, lighten the calendar. But I can't see the sporting bodies being persuaded of its merits.

[wamel042]

I understand the point of view of Rogge. Because of the influence of European countries on the Olympic Games (medals, entrants) etc. he's trying to protect the Olympic Games.

Also in Asia and America there are severel continental championships and they even have regional Games (West Asian Games, South Asian Games, East Asian Games, South East Asian Games, Central American Games, Central American and Carribean Games, ALBA Games, South American Games, Bolivarian Games), so if there is room for all these events, there surely can be room for a European Games.

Recently the European Athletics federation has decided to stage the European Championships every 2 years, instead of every 4 years. Swimming championships are staged every 2 years and Junior championships even every year. So, if there is room for these events, why not the European equivilent for Olympic Games.

Of course soccer cannot be a regular tournament, but a juniortournament (U21) could be an option.

If the year of European Games combines with seperate event of the several sports, then the championships of that year would be held under the "flag" of the European Games.

[Sir Rols]

That is the major problem. If you could condense all the championships in the sports which would make up a European Games it would, as has already been said, lighten the calendar. But I can't see the sporting bodies being persuaded of its merits.

Very true. The federations will, understandably enough, always want to protect their revenue streams, and of course they would not get the same revenue or exposure if their European sports championships were incorporated into a wider event.

The other thing is that a Euro games could not but help being VERY large. An Asian games, a Pan-Ams, an African games is one thing, but just as the FIFA Euro tournaments are way ahead of any of the other contninental tournaments in terms of interst and competition, probably only second to the WC, so a Euro Games would be the type of event that could only grow to become a force of its own and dilute attention from other events and it wouldn't be certain that it could be contained to a size that really would allow smaller countries _ the Portugals, the Denmarks, the Hungarys _ to stage them. And when would it be scheduled. Obviously not a Summer Olympics year. The following year (SOG+1) could possibly work but is that not too soon after a SOG. SOG+2 would be out, already it's far too crowded by Winter Olympics, Commonwealth Games, FIFA World Cup etc (and a Euro Games would probably be big enough to steal the spotlight away from ALL of those). SOG+3? Again, possibly, but still there's the risk of being too close to the lead-up to the next Olympics and diverting sponsorship and lead-up interest away from them.

On the plus side, I suppose, it would be a handy way to console faileed Euro Olympic bidders and possibly see the Olympics spread out more to other areas of the world.

[Citius Altius Fortius]

Another reason not to have Euro Games is the fact that some olympic sports have important centers in small cities/town, which are not capable to hold "EURO GAMES", but European Championships in the specific sport...

The sport federations are interested to hold championships in their important centers to back up the basis!!! Especially is this important for "smaller" sports...

[wamel042]

I think the exposure for "smaller" sport is much greater with Euro Games, than as a seperate competition! Even the introduction of "new" sports to the programme could be considered: squash, rugby, karatedo, baseball, golf etc.

I agree that with European "dominance" European Games would be very great in scale, but perhaps the concept of "one" city could be spread. For example: the Netherlands could stage Games in Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague and Rotterdam. All within 1 hour drive or what about a German bid (Dusseldorf, Koln, Oberhausen, Aachen etc)?

[Faster]

Actually that is a really good idea

[wamel042]

Actually that is a really good idea

New sports or spreading the Games?

[Faster]

New sports or spreading the Games?

Speading the games amongst a region

[Westfale]

And which nations could host these type of Euro Games? Exactly, the same nations that could also host normal Olympic Games.

I am totally against Euro Games. I am against spreading the Games. Just look to the Olympic Games next year and show me one single equestrian, that is happy to compete in Hong Kong instead of Beijing.

[Faster]

And which nations could host these type of Euro Games? Exactly, the same nations that could also host normal Olympic Games.

I am totally against Euro Games. I am against spreading the Games. Just look to the Olympic Games next year and show me one single equestrian, that is happy to compete in Hong Kong instead of Beijing.

Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia could all host a decentralized euro games, but not an olympics.

[wamel042]

I don't see problems with Euro Games which are spread within certains limits. All Winter Olympic Games are spread out over several cities or even regions and still those Games are called Games......

I agree that spreading over a country could harm the athmosphere of the Games, but within limits (Randstand - Netherlands, Ruhr-area - Germany) this is no problem. Also could be considerred primary use of existing venues (just as the World Games).

[Westfale]

I don't see problems with Euro Games which are spread within certains limits. All Winter Olympic Games are spread out over several cities or even regions and still those Games are called Games......

And did the athletes enjoy those Games in Torino? Many of them were unsatisfied because of the distances between the venues.

The special thing about Olympic (Summer) Games is, that a fencer can meet the weightlifter and the rower is able to dinner with the handballer. The athletes want to to meet other athletes from other disciplines. You can only provide this possibility with central organized Games. And thats why Euro Games must have the same structure like Olympic Games, if they should bring something special to the athletes apart from the normal championships.

I agree that spreading over a country could harm the athmosphere of the Games, but within limits (Randstand - Netherlands, Ruhr-area - Germany) this is no problem. Also could be considerred primary use of existing venues (just as the World Games).

The concept for Düsseldorf 2012 was bullsh!t. Handball in Dortmund, Swimming in Essen, Volleyball in Oberhausen, Baseball in Bonn, Basketball in Cologne, Rowing in Duisburg and Equestrian in Aachen. It really lacked atmosphere.

[Faster]

I can somewhat understand what you are saying but believe it could work, come on the WC and Euro does across an entire country.

[wamel042]

I can somewhat understand what you are saying but believe it could work, come on the WC and Euro does across an entire country.

I agree that the athmosphere with a World Cup and Euro, spread over a country was good too. I was in Frankfurt and Berlin with World Cup matches and that was very good! If Euro Games could be staged within limits, than I think the same could be achieved. Otherwise the Euro Games would probably be as big as the Olympics......

[arwebb]

Recently the European Athletics federation has decided to stage the European Championships every 2 years, instead of every 4 years. Swimming championships are staged every 2 years and Junior championships even every year. So, if there is room for these events, why not the European equivilent for Olympic Games.

When did that happen? A European Championships in Olympic year? Surely not.

[wamel042]

When did that happen? A European Championships in Olympic year? Surely not.

Substitution?