Scotland, Germany to co-host European Sports Championships in 2018

Scotland and Germany are to co-host the first European Sports Championships in 2018, casting a shadow over the future of the European Games.

It was announced that about 2,900 athletes will come to Glasgow to take part in the 10-12 day event, including cyclists and swimmers, with Berlin staging athletics.

The continental governing bodies of athletics, cycling, rowing, swimming and triathlon have come together to stage the first European Sports Championship with the aim of creating a strong new brand on the world stage to grow their television audiences and sponsorship opportunities, English website insidethegames.biz reported.

The inaugural European Games will be held in Baku from June 12-28.

Glasgow had been mooted as a potential bidder for the second edition of the European Games in 2019 but have instead joined forces with the German capital to launch this new event.

It is expected that the Championship will be held over a two-week period at the end of July and beginning of August or the first two weeks of August.

European Athletics and the European Swimming League (LEN) are involved in the event.

Athletics at Baku 2015 will consist only of European Athletics Team Championships 3rd League featuring little-known names after European Athletics refused to change their calendar to accommodate the new event.

Swimming in Azerbaijan's capital will feature only junior swimmers after LEN were reluctant to get involved.

World Rowing were initially one of the biggest opponents to taking part in the European Games only to later change their mind.

There will be no track cycling at Baku 2015 as Azerbaijan does not have a velodrome. Endi