Attend a historical event - witness history

/By AzerNews/

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijanis and foreigners alike can now buy a ticket to the inaugural European Games starting - starting April 3, and witness a piece of Azerbaijan's history.

An exciting and innovative new multi-sport event, this year will include 20 sports, 16 of which are Olympic, during the 17 days of competition in June 12-28. 6,000 athletes will prove themselves in Baku.

Tickets for the grandiose Opening and Closing Ceremonies have been available for purchase online since March 20 on www.baku2015.com/tickets, and now tickets can be bought in ticket outlets across Baku including Park Bulvar, 28 Mall, and Metro Park.

A solemn ceremony on the start of ticket sales kicked off at Park Bulvar in Baku.

Mirjam Bogataj, head of ticketing at Baku 2015 European Games Operation Committee, said the tickets for the First European Games are available at all tickets sale points in Baku.

In total, there will be 12 such points in the capital, she said, and eight of them have already been opened. The main sales point is located in the Park Bulvar.

"In general, 600,000 tickets will go on sale," she added.

The price of tickets for the opening ceremony will range from 20 to 200 manat, she said, and for the closing ceremony in between 10 and 100 manat. Tickets for the qualifiers will cost 2-3 manat, and for the finals – 3-5 manats.

Tickets for children and adolescents from 2 to 16 years will be free for all competitions. Tickets for children under 16 will cost 1 manat for the competition at the Heydar Aliyev Sport Arena, and the National Gymnastics Arena.

Bogataj said, tickets will also be free for all the competitions except the opening and closing ceremony for persons with disabilities.

"The first tickets for Baku 2015 were bought online by a Russian citizen, Ksenia Muradova," she said.

"Since she was the first person to actually purchase a ticket online we are preparing a big surprise for her," Bogataj added.

Free tickets for children and adolescents will be available at sale points or at the box office of sports facilities, provisioning the presentation of a birth certificate. Free tickets for the disabled can be obtained by presenting a medical certificate.

The head of ticketing said measures have been taken to prevent speculation and the sale of tickets on the "black market". The tickets have several security features, she said. Heavy fines will be handed for those who broke the law.

Further information can be obtained by calling 2015 or go online at baku2015.com.

Foreign sport fans should also bear in mind, that Azerbaijan will issue visas under the simplified scheme during the Games. Foreigners will be able to get a single entry visa for 30 days during the duration of the Games, starting 10 days prior the inaugural ceremony.