Hansen, who is now back home in Norway after watching the European Team Championships in Cheboksary - where he reiterated his plans to re-shape that competition – told insidethegames: “I have been travelling back from Cheboksary, where we had a very successful Super League, but I have heard that the athletics in Baku was very exciting, so we will be talking to people there about how the competition went.

“I have never guaranteed that athletics will take place at the next European Games, but I am optimistic that European Athletics will be there. We have some ideas here about it already. Maybe for something new.”

The venue for the next European Games is back under discussion following Amsterdam’s withdrawal on the eve of the first Games.

But Hansen has been encouraged by early reports about the staging here of the European Team Championships Third League, which ended with high drama as Austria missed gold by half a point when their London 2012 T46 800m champion Gunther Matzinger dropped the baton in the concluding men’s 4x400m relay.

“First the European Olympic Committees has to decide the place where the Games will be held, and also the dates – this is most important,” he said.

“But looking ahead to 2019, I think the calendar is quite open because the World Championships in Doha will be late, and we would really like to do something.

First though I have to speak with Patrick Hickey, the EOC President, and then next year we can bring it to the Council and see what the EOC can put on the table.”

Before he left Cheboksary, Hansen spoke about his intention to re-shape the European Team Championships, which will not be held next year because of the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. 

Among the ideas are to reduce the Super League, and perhaps the First League to eight teams, and to showcase field events more, perhaps by taking them out to other venues within hosting cities.

“We can’t do anything in 2017 because the system is already in place,” he said.

“But we can come up with a new format for 2018, 2019, and I have already had a great reaction from around Europe on the proposals I have made, many of them on Facebook. I haven’t had a single negative reaction so far.

“I also spoke with the Russian Sports Minister, Vitaly Mutko, while I was in Cheboksary.

“He was very supportive of the athletics, and I can tell you that European Athletics is definitely be going back to Russia very soon.

“Cheboksary 2015 was an excellent Championships with a lot of great performances but for me it is clear that the Super League should go back to eight teams like the old European Cup from the current 12 teams.

“The 12-team format with two heats is just not as engaging for the fans.

"If we could change back, which I will ask our Event and Competition Commission to look at, I think it will make for a shorter, more exciting, easier-to-follow programme.

“In my opinion, we should also look at ways of shortening the programme further and showcasing the field events a little more.

“We could have the likes of the shot put competition in the city centre and the hammer and discus in the stadium on the Friday.

“We have got a good event for television with the European Athletics Team Championships, with men’s and women’s combined teams and promotion and relegation battles, but I think with some restructuring it could be much better.

“I want fresh thinking, to come up with innovative ideas to improve the championships.

“How about the First League reduced to eight teams as well?

“Who knows?

“We could have the top two leagues hosted in the same stadium over four sessions – First League in the morning and Super League in the afternoon.

“That would really accentuate the promotion and relegation battle between the two leagues and be a fantastic event for the athletes, fans and media.

“It would also ensure we have the highest levels of quality for the First League in terms of television production, event presentation, results and timing.”

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