Mr Simon Clegg, Baku 2015 Chief Operating Officer, said: “This agreement is the latest major deal that will ensure avid sports fans throughout the continent will be able to follow their nation’s athletes at the inaugural European Games.
“As one of the biggest nations in Europe, we expect France to send a strong team with approximately 250 athletes to Baku 2015 in pursuit of glory, so it is wonderful to know their fans at home will be able to tune in to all the action.
“L’Equipe 21 is dedicated to sport and we are confident that their high-quality product will reflect the elite athletes and competition that will be on display at Baku 2015.”
Mr Xavier Spender, L’Equipe 21 General Manager, said: “The Baku 2015 European Games will be a highlight of the international sporting calendar, so we are delighted to have the responsibility of broadcasting the inaugural edition in France.
“As a sporting spectacle, it will capture the imagination of fans across the world and we are very proud to be helping to bring the event live to all of our viewers in France.”
L’Equipe 21 will also broadcast a special one-off programme to make 100 days to go until Baku 2015, and will feature a weekly report on athletes preparing for the European Games in the French National Olympic Committee magazine Esprit Bleu.
Mr Denis Masseglia, President of the National Olympic Committee of France, said: “We are very pleased that Baku 2015 and L’Equipe 21, our media partner since 2012, have signed this partnership that will allow our fans to follow live action from the first European Games.
“We will be sending a strong team to compete at Baku 2015 and it is good to know that their efforts and achievements will be available to watch live to their supporters in France.”
Founded in 1998, L’Equipe 21 broadcasts live sport all year round and are the official broadcasting partner of the National Olympic Committee of France.
Baku 2015 is the first ever European Games, an exciting and innovative multi-sport event for the continent which will take place from 12 – 28 June 2015.
There will be a total of 20 sports at Baku 2015: 16 Olympic sports and four non-Olympic sports. More than 6,000 athletes from across Europe will be representing their nations over 17 days of competition.
Eleven of the sports will offer qualification opportunities for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Those sports include Archery, Athletics, Boxing, Cycling, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Triathlon, Wrestling and Volleyball.
Baku was awarded the Games by the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in December 2012. The Baku European Games Operations Committee (BEGOC) will organise and run the Games in co-operation with the EOC.
/Apa/
