Zurich to host major athletics meeting in 2014

The European Athletics Council has awarded the 2014 European Athletics Championships to the Swiss city of Zurich.

The unanimous decision to award the 22nd event to Zurich was made on Saturday at Prangins on the shores of Lake Geneva during the 125th council meeting.

Zurich will be the second Swiss city to hold the flagship event after Bern in 1954.

“Athletics is a hugely popular sport in Switzerland and we have been assured today that we can look forward to a fantastic event, commented European Athletics President Hansjörg Wirz, who is a Swiss.

Patrick K. Magyar, chief executive of the company that will oversee the championships and director of Zurich’s prestigious annual one-day athletics meeting, said that “together with Athletissima Lausanne, we will be able to benefit from a thorough knowhow in the realisation of international meetings”.

Weltklasse Zürich and Athletissima Lausanne are two stops on the Diamond League circuit of the International Association of Athletics Federations.

“Even though one-day events cannot be compared with the dimension of championships, we trust that our experience will be a valuable asset. And we know that the commitment and support of the Swiss athletics fans will help tremendously,” Magyar said.

Swiss Athletics President Hansruedi Müller said the decision would boost the motivation of young talents “and the entire athletics community in Switzerland”.

The 2010 European Athletics Championships will take place in Barcelona from July 26-August 1. The 2014 event will be held during August.

swissinfo.ch