Erzurum will host the 2017 Winter European Youth Olympic Festival, despte recent terrorist attacks in Turkey ©Wikipedia

The 2017 Winter European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) will be held in Erzurum next month, despite recent terrorism attacks in Turkey. 

The decision to keep the event there between February 11 and 18 was taken here today at the meeting of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) Executive Board attended by International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.

Last year Turkey was hit by several terrorist attacks and a gunman shot dead 39 people at the Reina nightclub in Istanbul in the early hours of New Year's Day.

The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the incident.

A car bomb exploded in December in the city of Kayseri, located around 640 kilometres west of Erzurum, killing 13 people, mostly soldiers, and injuring 50.

IS were blamed for a further four attacks in Turkey in 2016, including a bomb and gun attack on the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul in June, where 41 people lost their lives.

Turkey has increasingly become a target for terrorism in the last year ©Getty Images
Turkey has increasingly become a target for terrorism in the last year ©Getty Images

World Curling last year opted to move their World Junior Championships from Erzurum amid mounting terrorism fears in Turkey.

The event was re-allocated to Copenhagen.

But the EOC have been reassured that the 1,500 athletes aged between 14 and 18 due to compete in the event will be safe.

Erzurum had initially been due to host the 2019 Winter EYOF but swapped with Sarajevo and East Sarajevo at the EOC General Assembly in Prague in November 2015.

This was because Bosnian organisers admitted they were struggling to get ready in time.

Sarajevo and East Sarajevo had been awarded the 2017 Winter EYOF at the 2013 General Assembly in Rome, while Erzurum had won their bid at the 2014 meeting in Baku.

Erzurum already have many of the facilities in place after hosting the 2011 Winter Universiade, when 1,800 athletes from more than 50 countries competed.

European Olympic Committees EYOF manager Katerina Nycova has praised preparations for Erzurum 2017 ©EOC
European Olympic Committees EYOF manager Katerina Nycova has praised preparations for Erzurum 2017 ©EOC

Katerina Nycova, the EYOF manager at the EOC, gave a presentation to the Executive Board following a trip to Erzurum last week to inspect preparations.

"Venues in Erzurum are amazing for sure," she said. 

"When I was here first time, it was five or six years ago, I was already amazed by that. 

"You have perfect venues. 

"The quality is very good. 

"For me, this is a winter paradise.

"Venues are basically ready except some few things certainly will be fixed very soon. 

"The weather is great and no need to produce artificial snow. 

"So, the organisation is getting there."