Murmansk ready as Barents Games host 2016
In the beginning of April 2016 Murmansk Sports Comittee will welcome athletes from all over the Barents Region to the Barents Winter Games 2016. This week a delegation from Norway was invited to see Murmansk new indoor sports arena, which will host the opening ceremony.
At least 13 sports will compete at the second Barents Winter Games, which are to be held in Murmansk in early April 2016. There are still some discussions remaining before the list of participatings sports can be presented.
- We are very proud to host such a huge event for athletes in the Barents Region and we also see it as great honour. The arenas are ready and when it comes to practical details and sponsors for the event we are half way in the planning, says Neumova.
Neumova showed the delegation the brand new sports hall in Murmansk. A multi use sports arena, built to be used by more than 40 different sports.
Among other facilities it has a 200 meter long indoor running lane built for track and field competitions. Track and field is one of the sports which might be moved from the summer to the winter games.
Nearby the indoor sports arena we find the modernized cross country and biathlon arena in Murmansk. It will of course host both these sports during the games.
- The modernized arena has no problems in holding two different events at the same time. The arena is constructed for holding international events at the top level, says Katerina Lebedeva from Murmansk Sports Committee.
May Bente Eriksen and Trond Østgård from the Norwegian Barents Sports Committee were in Murmansk this week to be updated on the developments of the planning of the event. The Norwegians were highly impressed by the sports facilities which were presented to them. They are all looking forward to fantastic sports days in Murmansk.
- We know that the Russians are really good at organizing sports events and this meeting has shown that the Barents Winter Games 2016 are in the best hands, says May Bente Eriksen in the Barents Sports Committee.
The Norwegian Barents Secretariat supported the Barents Summer Games in Oulu in 2015 with 1,5 million NOK. The application for the 2016 games has not been administered yet.