|
|
EAA decides host cities for major events |
The European Athletic Association Council announced the venues for three
future EAA major events at its meeting in Gothenburg (SWE) on Saturday
29 April.
2010 European Athletics Championships - Barcelona, Spain
2009 European Athletics Indoor Championships - Turin, Italy
2007 SPAR European Cup - Munich, Germany
EAA Director General Christian Milz said: "We are extremely pleased to
have three such well-known cities with high quality venues to host our
major events over the next few years. These events are the shop window
of our sport and very important for the European Athletics movement. We
are looking forward to working with the organising committees in the
preparation of top class events, which will touch and inspire new and
existing athletics fans."
The 2010 European Athletics Championships in Barcelona will take place
at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, venue of the 1992 Olympic Games,
at the end of July or beginning of August. The stadium will be
modernised for the Championships and will have a capacity of 45,000.
Royal Spanish Athletics Federation President José Maria Odriozola said:
"The European Athletics Championships is the only major athletics
competition that has not been staged in our country and the award of the
event for 2010 enables the Spanish Athletics Federation to fulfil a
dream. The Championships will be a very important tool for us to
promote athletics throughout Spain and especially to young people. We
have a very good cooperation with the City of Barcelona and the other
three institutions involved and we are looking forward to working
together to host 'European Athletics' Big Fiesta'."
The venue for the 2009 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Turin
will be the Palasport Olimpico Isozaki, which was built to host ice
hockey during the recent Winter Olympic Games. In order to ensure the
best possible sight lines for the 6000 spectators, a platform will be
built above the main arena floor. The Championships will take place in
mid March.
Franco Arese, the President of the Italian Athletic Federation (FIDAL),
said: "I am delighted by the decision of the EAA. Italy has now a big
chance to promote athletics at the highest level, using the unique
legacy of the facilities from the Winter Olympics, and to stimulate the
performance of athletes in our country."
The 2007 SPAR European Cup will take place on 23-24 June in the Munich
Olympic Stadium in the Olympiapark, which hosted the European Athletics
Championships in 2002 and the SPAR European Cup in 1997.
"We are happy to host European athletes for the third time in Munich, to
renew our cooperation with European Athletics and to continue the series
of athletics events in the Munich Olympic Stadium," said General Manager
of the Munich Olympiapark Wilfrid Spronk.
Source: EAA
|
|
Robert Katzenbeisser
|
|
| Impressum