Baku. 7 January. REPORT.AZ/ European Olympic Committees (EOC) President Janez Kocijančič has claimed the organization has received "strong bids" for the 2023 European Games.
Report informs that the Slovenian official made the assertion in a New Year's message to EOC members, where he looked forward to key events in 2019.
A bid process for the third edition was launched in September, with all 50 European National Olympic Committees sent letters inviting them to bid. The closing date for the submission of a bid is February 28. Following two successive European Games in Eastern Europe, the EOC are thought to be keen to take the Games to Western Europe.
In his letter to NOCs, Kocijančič praised the achievements of athletes at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics and Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympics.
The first EOC event of the year will be the Winter European Youth Olympic Festival in Sarajevo and East Sarajevo, with competition taking place from February 10 to 15 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It will be followed by the Games of the Small States of Europe in Montenegro, with Europe's nine smallest nations due to compete from May 27 to June 1.
The European Games will then follow in Minsk in June, followed by Baku hosting the Summer European Youth Olympic Festival in July.
Kocijančič claimed both the European Games and Summer European Youth Olympic Festival would prove important events for athletes as they embark on the qualification process for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.