Patrick Hickey: European-Seven nations emerge as replacement 2019 Games hosts

Baku, June 21, AZERTAC Seven potential candidates have emerged to replace the Netherlands as hosts of the 2019 European Games, said president of the European Olympic Committees Patrick Hickey, according to Reuters. "We have gone back to the five candidates we dealt with (originally), but with the success of these Games two new candidates have come in addition so we have riches now from which to choose," Hickey told reporters at the Baku Shooting Centre. "We had six in the beginning, but the Netherlands fell by the wayside so that left five. We have now two additional candidates. But there will be no decision for a while. "Two of the original five said 2023, so we brought them back to 2019, but others have asked to reopen talks." "Overall we are very happy (with the competition in Baku). We knew we hadn't got the best in athletics and swimming, but in the other sports we have top of the range European champions and Olympic champions," Patrick Hickey added.