Azerbaijan

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has released the report by its Evaluation Commission into the bid cities for the 2022 winter Olympic Games, with Almaty and Beijing’s main concerns flagged up as being financial issues and the provision of suitable snow levels, respectively.

How do you successfully market a sports event with no history to fans in both the host market and across an entire continent? Elisha Chauhan asked Baku 2015 European Games Head of Marketing Rob Smyth.

Elisha Chauhan travelled to Baku to gain first-hand experience of preparations for the inaugural European Games, the biggest sporting event to be held in Azerbaijan. What legacy will they leave for the city?

The European Games, a continental multi-sport event comprised of Olympic sports, were first outlined in 2010. Ahead of the inaugural Games in Baku next month, Elisha Chauhan asked their creator Pat Hickey to assess preparations and reveal his vision for future editions.

The Azerbaijani capital of Baku is to stage another major sports event after it was awarded the hosting rights to the 2020 European Karate Championships.

The 2015 European Judo Championships will be staged in Baku as part of the inaugural European Games multi-sport event after Glasgow was stripped of the hosting rights last week.

Azad Rahimov, the head of the organising committee for the 2015 European Games in Baku, has claimed that the multi-sport event could help Azerbaijan to fulfil its long-term ambitions to host the Olympic Games.

Confédération Européenne de Volleyball (CEV), the governing body of volleyball in Europe, has awarded hosting rights for the 2017 men’s European Championship to Poland and the women’s European Championship of the same year to Azerbaijan and Georgia.

English Premier League football club Manchester United has entered into a partnership with the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) and mobile telecommunications provider Bakcell as part of an effort to develop grassroots football in the country.

Baku’s preparations to host the inaugural 2015 European Games have been praised by the European Olympic Committees Coordination Commission following a site visit.

Combat sport discipline sambo has been added to the sports programme of the inaugural European Games in Baku next year.

Azerbaijan’s government has completed a deal to host a new Formula One race in Baku from 2016, with the agreement set to address concerns over the expansion of the motor-racing series’ calendar following this week’s confirmation of a return to Mexico next year.

Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone has ruled out an imminent return of the French Grand Prix despite recent talks between the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours and Formula One Management (FOM).

The World Series of Boxing (WSB) 2014 Finals series have been shifted from Ukraine to Baku in Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani government has announced it has signed an official agreement for Baku to host a Formula One race from the 2016 season of the motor-racing championship.

The European Olympic Committees (EOC) has announced that Simon Clegg will replace Jim Scherr as chief operating officer of the Baku 2015 European Games organising committee.