Helsinki got to organize the European Athletics Championships for 2030. The matter was resolved on Thursday, when the European Athletics Federation (EA) decided to host the competition between Helsinki and Brussels. EA did not announce the voting result, but according to Sanoma’s information, the voting result was surprisingly clear in favor of the Finns.
According to insiders, the decisive factor was the financial support of the Finnish government and the city, as well as the successful presentation of the blue-and-white delegation to the EA board at the meeting place in Lausanne.
Brussels the competition concept was based on the expertise of the major event organizer Golazo, which was particularly liked by the federations of the continent’s major athletics countries. However, the majority of EA’s board members believed more in the Helsinki concept.
This belief was reinforced when the competition applicants presented their projects in Lausanne. The Finnish delegation was able to respond to the government’s detailed questions quickly and precisely, while the Belgians hesitated and gave roundabout answers. EA’s decision-makers could not be sure of the amount of financial support from the Belgian state and the city of Brussels for the competition project.
of the Games ending up in Finland means spending millions in the budget of the state and the city of Helsinki. The Ministry of Education and Culture is putting a grant of 4.5 million euros in next year’s budget, and the city already decided to support the Games with 3 million euros, if Helsinki gets them.
The final bill for the Games will rise to 5–6 million euros for the city.
However, the bill for Helsinki’s taxpayers is not limited to three million, because as part of the preparations for the competition, the Zoo’s sports field is undergoing renovation, which will start next year. It increases costs to such an extent that the final bill for the Games rises to 5–6 million euros for the city.
EC competitions will take place in August 2030. Exact dates will be confirmed during the winter. In the spring of the same year, the men’s hockey World Cup medals will be decided in Helsinki, so there may not be enough spectators for both events.
When Helsinki organized the European Athletics Championships for the last time in 2012, the World Cup hockey was played in Helsinki in the same spring. The European Championship shenanigans in question resulted in a loss of 3.6 million euros for the Finnish Sports Association.
On the would have gone bankrupt then, if the Ministry of Education and Culture had not saved the association with financial support granted afterwards. The spring 2012 ice hockey competitions were a complete financial hit, as they generated a profit of 8.2 million euros.
In 2030, the competition between sports may turn even more clearly in hockey’s favor. People are interested in track and field sports on TV, but fewer and fewer Finns are willing to pay high ticket prices and support the hosting of foreign sports events.