MOSCOW TO HOST EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARY GAMES

RIA Novosti
July 9, 2009
MOSCOW

Moscow is to host the first European parliamentary games on October
1-5, a Russian MP said Thursday.

European MPs will compete in mini football, tennis, table tennis,
chess, golf and volleyball. There are also plans to hold a race.

First deputy chairman of the Russian lower house’s sports committee
Dmitry Svishchev said Poland, Turkey, Ukraine, Hungary, Croatia,
Armenia, Lithuania and Slovenia had confirmed their participation in
the competition.

"Holding such sports events is one way to develop international
cooperation between European members of parliament," he said.

Invitations have been sent to all PACE members.

Anton Sikharulidze, the head of the State Duma sports committee, said
speaker Boris Gryzlov had agreed to head the organizing committee,
while Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov would be a co-chairman.