BAKU (Reuters) - The European Games, the first major multi-sports event of the continent, are set to kick off in Azerbaijan's Baku on Friday as gleaming new sports venues await 6,000 athletes, lured by qualification spots for next year's Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
The Azeri capital has pulled out all the stops as it looks to establish itself as a viable option for international sports events with a string of impressive venues, including a brand new Olympic stadium that will see just two days of competition.
Azerbaijan, however, is under criticism over its human rights record and some rights organizations have said their officials have been barred from entering the country during the Games.