This means a total of 11 of the 20 sports featuring at the event in the Azerbaijani capital, due to take place from June 12 to 28, will offer some form of Olympic qualification, an added incentive to persuade the continent's finest athletes to compete.

In wrestling, European athletes and National Olympic Committees are in fact obliged to compete in Baku as the first part of their qualification journey to Rio 2016, while in boxing, athletes who win a medal in each of the 10 men's weight categories will win a place at the AIBA 2015 World Boxing Championships in Doha. 

The top-ranked boxers at that competition will then earn an Olympic quota place for their country. 

"I am delighted to see that the sports programme at Baku 2015 continues to move in the right direction with boxing and wrestling now confirmed as part of their road to Rio 2016," said European Olympic Committees President Patrick Hickey.

"Part of the European Olympic Committees' vision for the European Games was to create an elite competition that offered athletes increased opportunities to test themselves at the very highest level, so we are very pleased that Baku 2015 is delivering exactly that."

Wrestling, one of the most popular sports in Azerbaijan, will also offer Olympic qualification opportunities ©Baku 2015



In shooting, table tennis and triathlon, a place will be available for the winner of each individual event, while in beach volleyball, archery cycling and taekwondo, there will be the opportunity to earn ranking points on the road to Rio 2016, and in swimming and athletics, there will be specific qualification standards up for grabs.

These events will be supplemented on the European Games programme by the non-Olympic sports of karate and sambo, as well as other non-Olympic disciplines such as beach soccer, 3x3 basketball and acrobatic and aerobic gymnastics. 

"The fact that so many international sports federations are including the inaugural European Games as part of their Olympic Games qualification process is testament to what a top quality event we will have here in Azerbaijan," said Baku 2015 chief operating officer Simon Clegg.

"The European Olympic Committees and President Patrick Hickey have ensured their vision of a major multi-sport event for the entire continent will be one of great value that will see Europe's finest athletes improve their chances of competing successfully at future Olympic Games."

Pierce O'Callaghan, Baku 2015 director of sport, added: "The European Federations have completely embraced the vision of the European Games.