Dutch Plan Low-Risk Nationwide Bid For 2019 European Games

The Netherlands will launch a bid to host the second edition of the European Games in '19, planning a "financially low-risk nationwide concept for the continental competition," according to Karolos Grohmann of REUTERS. The inaugural European Games is being held in Baku, Azerbaijan in June and will be the "first continental multi-sports event for the region's senior athletes." The Dutch Olympic Committee said in a statement, "The organization of the European Games in 2019 is a special opportunity for the Netherlands." The new event is based on a concept "similar to other regional gatherings" such as the Pan American or Asian Games and are scheduled to be held a year prior to the Summer Olympics with qualifying spots and points on offer. They are also seen as a chance for smaller cities "to bid for a major sporting event with a budget a fraction of the size needed to host an Olympics." The European Games will also have competition from the European Sports championships to be launched in '18 (REUTERS, 4/29).