Idman.biz
The program for the fourth European Games to be held in Istanbul has been approved. The program includes 26 sports, and for some of them, this multi-sport event will be an important selection stage for the Los Angeles Olympics.
Idman.Biz reports that the Executive Committee of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) has determined the sports program of the Games, which was prepared in close cooperation with the "Istanbul 2027" Organizing Committee, as well as international and continental federations. 22 of the 26 sports are aligned with the program of the 2028 Summer Olympics.
In this sense, the European Games will be an important platform for the selection of athletes for the main start of the quadrennial - both direct licenses and points in the Olympic rankings will be at stake. The final inclusion of sports depends on the signing of agreements with the respective federations.
Academic rowing (coastal sprint), weightlifting and squash will debut in the program of the European Games in Istanbul. The latter will also be included in the Olympics for the first time. In addition, gymnastics, volleyball and wrestling are returning to the program after not participating in the Krakow-2023 Games.
Mihai Covaliu, Chairman of the EOC Coordination Commission, noted that "Istanbul 2027" will be an important stage on the road to the Los Angeles Olympics:
"Thanks to 26 sports and extensive classification opportunities, the Games will provide European athletes with a high-level platform to compete and qualify."
Veli Ozan Çakır, General Director of the "Istanbul 2027" Organizing Committee, added that the European Games in Istanbul will demonstrate the strength and diversity of sports on the continent:
"We have prepared a program that reflects both sporting excellence and the vision of our city."
Thus, the program of the European Games includes 3x3 basketball, aquatics, archery, athletics (European Team Championships), badminton, boxing, canoe sprint, fencing, gymnastics, judo, karate, kickboxing, modern pentathlon, muay thai, padel, rowing (beach sprint), rugby sevens, shooting, sport climbing, squash, table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, volleyball, weightlifting, and wrestling.
As for the schedule of the multi-sport event, the opening ceremony is scheduled for June 16, and the closing ceremony will take place on June 27.
Now it is the turn of signing agreements between the EOC and the Organizing Committee with European federations for various sports. A more detailed program will be published in the future.
