The event is intended to be modest. And even very modest. But he attracted into his net, during an opening ceremony, Jacques Rogge himself. The IOC President traveled to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, host of the 15rd edition of the Games of the Small States of Europe (JPEE), of which Grand Duke Henri is himself an active member of the Olympic institution. An event of a unique kind, where from this Monday, May 27, 857 athletes from nine states with the common point of having less than a million inhabitants are flocking.
Iceland, Andorra, Cyprus, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, Montenegro. Nine countries, not one less. A poster of sports rank-and-file, very rarely invited to the podiums of “real” Olympic Games. The motto of the event, organized every other year, says a lot about the festive and humble spirit of the competition: “It’s not because we’re small that we can’t do like the big guys! »
Comment from Traian Ciociu, a Luxembourg table tennis player, interviewed by AFP: “For me, it is almost more important to perform at the JPEE than at the world championships. At the Worlds, our goal is to get out of qualifying. Here, we aim for victory. »
With a budget of 3 million euros, the JPEE is careful not to have any ambition for gigantism. But they have eleven disciplines on their program: basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball, table tennis, swimming, judo, rifle shooting, athletics, gymnastics, tennis and cycling. And, supreme luxury, at least two IOC members sitting side by side in the stand of the Josy Barthel stadium this Monday during the opening ceremony: Jacques Rogge and Albert of Monaco.
