The Coordination Commission of the Association of European Olympic Committees (EOC) for the European Games met for the first time on Wednesday in Istanbul, the city that will host the fourth edition of the multi-sport competition in 2027, the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee (COSR) said. The meeting was chaired by COSR President Mihai Covaliu, who also serves as coordinator of the commission.
The session brought together key stakeholders, including EOC President Spyros Capralos, EOC Secretary General Carlo Mornati, Turkish Youth and Sports Minister Osman Askin Bak, acting Istanbul Mayor Nuri Aslan, Turkish National Olympic Committee President Ahmet Gulum, and Organizing Committee CEO Veli Ozan Cakir.
Mihai Covaliu stressed the importance of the project for the European Olympic family and the commission's role in ensuring alignment with EOC standards.
"This first meeting represents an important moment in our preparations for the 4th edition of the European Games in 2027 and I am glad that we have already established a special spirit of collaboration and friendship with our partners in Türkiye. In addition to learning about the progress already made by the Organizing Committee, it was vital that the EOC Coordination Commission was also kept informed of all the details and next steps, to ensure that Istanbul is prepared to organize a memorable event next year. After this very promising first visit of the Coordination Commission, I am even more confident that we will achieve this goal," said Covaliu.
Commission members received updates on preparations, including budget, master plan, infrastructure and the sports program, which will offer qualification opportunities for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
"This has been a very encouraging visit to Istanbul, a major sports city, which we saw as being in an excellent position to build on the success of the Krakow 2023 European Games and to host the best European Games ever. I would like to thank our friends at the Turkish Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, the Turkish National Olympic Committee and the Istanbul 2027 Organizing Committee for welcoming us so warmly this week, and to President Covaliu and all the members of the EOC Coordination Commission for their contributions and insights," said said EOC President Spyros Capralos.
Turkish Minister of Youth and Sports, Osman Askin Bak, said he is confident in Istanbul 2027's ability to inspire Europe: "I firmly believe that the Istanbul 2027 European Games will demonstrate the unifying power of sport, the shared values of Europe and the Olympic ideals in this extraordinary city, with maximum impact. The Istanbul 2027 European Games will be more than just a sporting event. They will be a landmark event that will inject new dynamism into the European sports movement, uniting sport, culture and urban life with Olympic values."
Nuri Aslan, the acting Mayor of Istanbul, highlighted the city's ambition to use the Games to further improve public health through sport: "The Istanbul 2027 European Games represent a natural milestone in a journey that began in 2019 to establish sport as a public right, serving as a sustainable legacy project that extends from urban planning to social inclusion."
Commission members will continue their visit Thursday with inspections of sports arenas and Athletes's Villages.
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