Chair of the EOC Coordination Commission for the 2023 European Games Hasan Arat said "excellent progress" had been made for next year's multi-sport event ©EOC

European Games 2023 Coordination Commission chair Hasan Arat has claimed here that preparations for the European Olympic Committees' (EOC) flagship multi-sport event in Kraków-Małopolska are moving "in the right direction".

A long-awaited host city contract was signed in Warsaw last month, and Arat, who is also a member of the EOC Executive Committee, insisted at the General Assembly that this move is "a very important milestone with only one year to go until the Games", and that "we are making excellent progress with our partners in Poland".

"Poland has a long history of success in sport and I believe the European Games will help inspire the future generation of athletes to continue this legacy," he said.

"There is still work to do but we are taking steps in the right direction every day.

"I would like commend the Polish NOC [National Olympic Committee] and Organising Committee for their efforts."

EOC President Spyros Capralos had also referenced the "big progress in reference to the European Games in Poland" during his report.

Arat discussed challenges faced by Poland in the build-up to the Games, notably its relief efforts in response to the war in Ukraine.

More than 3.8 million refugees have crossed Ukraine's western border into Poland since the Russian invasion on February 24.

Taekwondo is among the sports on the 2023 European Games programme ©World Taekwondo
Taekwondo is among the sports on the 2023 European Games programme ©World Taekwondo

However, he said that Kraków-Małopolska 2023 would be a "great, sustainable Games".

There are 26 medal sports on the programme at the European Games, and Arat said that a first draft of the competition schedule is "ready", although left open the possibility that more could be added.

"We still have European Federations asking to be included in the sports programme, and our team is handling those requests in consultation with the Organising Committee," he said.

The Organising Committee also provided a report to the General Assembly, which revealed that the logo for the event is set to be presented on June 21.

Kraków-Małopolska 2023 is the third edition the European Games, following on from Baku in 2015 and Minsk in 2019.

The 18 Olympic sports on the programme are due to serve as qualification events for Paris 2024, while a further eight sports are set to hold European Championships.

The European Games are set to take place in Kraków and the regions of Małopolska and Śląsk from June 21 to July 2 2023.