THE BIRTH OF THE FIFTH RING

If we count backwards from the First European Games opening ceremony, then we start at the figure 24. Although this number is in no way a sports or mystical one, it does of course have a symbolic meaning. Counting backwards we come to the European Games first message from Baku - in just 24 years of independence Azerbaijan has transformed itself from a Soviet province into a member of the world community with equal rights.

Yes, the hosts of the continental games had to meet extremely tight deadlines, working 24 hours per day, to organise them on time.

In assuming the responsibility for holding the first European Games in history, Azerbaijan took a rather ambitious and risky step. To be a trailblazer in shaping standards always carries responsibility for it is practice that makes perfect. The deadlines were tight, just two and half years were allocated for organising a competition on the scale of the Summer Olympic Games, which does as a rule take seven to eight years. But the forces in Baku did not overestimate what they could do, and 12 June 2015 witnessed the grandiose opening ceremony worthy of going down in the history of world sport.

 "This is an historic event for our country since sports competitions on this scale have not been held here before. At the same time, it is an historic event for Europe too, since, unlike other continents, continental games have never been held here before," Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated at the official reception for the opening of the European Games.

In actual fact, since the middle of the last century Asian and Pan-American Games have been held. Then these were followed by All-Africa, Mediterranean, Pan-Arab, Pacific, Bolivarian, Central American and Caribbean Games. Only the homeland of the Olympic movement did not have its own games up until now. Baku-2015 has made up for this. Now Europe has filled its own ring on the world Olympic flag with concrete sports content.

 "With this evening we add to the continental games the missing ring. Thanks to the First European Games we are binding the five continents of the Olympic movement closer together," the president of the European Olympic Committees (EOC), Patrick Hickey, stated at the opening ceremony, after thanking the leaders of Azerbaijan for the high standard of organisation.

All 50 countries that are members of the European Olympic Committees sent their delegations to Baku, and those consisted of 6,000 sportsmen. They are competing for 253 sets of medals in 20 types of sport, including 16 Olympic sports.

The heads of states and governments, ministers and parliamentarians and heads of international sports organisations gathered in Baku to support their own sportsmen. They all admit that they are impressed by what they have seen, ranging from the standard of preparation to the conditions created for the sportspeople and visitors and the spectacular opening. The visitor's stress that in the standard of its organisation, "Baku-2015" has surpassed the London Olympics.

The sportsmen themselves did not remain indifferent. The Trend agency reports that the German team's chief coach, Vital Heynen, is comparing the conditions created in Baku with those at the Olympics. "I am ready to have a lengthy stay in Baku. You get the feeling you are at the Olympics," Heynen wrote on his Twitter page.

On their Twitter page, Germany's volley-ball team wrote that the guys were impatiently waiting for the great Opening Ceremony of the European Games.

"Landed safely in Baku and now settled into in the team apartment block. It is amazing to be here," writes Dr Emma Kavanagh, a member of the British sports delegation, on her Twitter page.

The British gymnast Nile Wilson left a note on Twitter that he had spent a splendid few days in Baku, training and preparing for the competitions. 

 "You feel as if you have arrived in a 'Thousand and One Nights' fairy-tale!!! Where all were magicians: ranging from presidents and Lady Gaga to the stewards who did a good job out of pride in their country!!!" the well-known blogger Artemiy Surin shared his impressions on Facebook. 

At the same time, many people were not surprised at what they saw, because they still remembered the "Eurovision-2012" song contest, the Euro-pean Gymnastics Championship in 2014 and other prestigious international events organised in Baku. All in all, since 2002 Azerbaijan has hosted 36 international tournaments. The European Games is however much more impressive in its scale.

Azerbaijan's president refer-red to these competitions as "the biggest international sporting events in their scale after the Summer Olympics". 

Over the years of independence the country has won 26 medals at the Olympics and up to 2000 medals at European and World Championships. Azerbai-jani sportsmen are aiming to win an impressive number of medals at "Baku 2015" as well.

Azerbaijan's sporting ambitions are not without grounds either. The fact that the National Olympic Committee is headed by Azerbaijan's president himself is an indication of the attention that the country pays to sport. Over the last few years, approximately 50 Olympic centres have opened in the country which have provided the back-up for the capital's sports' infrastructure in hosting international competitions.

The heightened attention to sport is in fact part of Baku's policy aimed at maintaining the dialogue among civilisations. "This year we are hosting the European Games. In 2017 we are welcoming the Islamic Solidarity Games. This demonstrates the role being played by Azerbaijan in developing intercultural dialogue," says Azerbai-jan's First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, president of the First European Games' Organising Committee.

On the other hand, these are investments in the future reflected in the upgrading of the transport and tourist infrastructure and concomitant spheres. Coverage of the Games by 1,500 local and foreign journalists, broadcasts to 100 countries on more than 50 TV channels are also important factors. The thousands of tourists who have come to the European Games got the opportunity to see for themselves the deep historical roots, the wealth of culture and the opportunities in Azerbaijan today. "Many of them would like to come back to Azerbaijan in the future," President Ilham Aliyev feels sure.

Today the European Games are moving on towards their finale and some of the medals have already found owners. But there are still many interesting competitions ahead, and long queues have formed to get tickets for them.

It is still too early to say what the sports' results of the First European Games will be. But the fact that Azerbaijan has set a high standard in organising the games for the Old World is clear even before the final whistle has been blown.