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Operating officer Simon Clegg happy with integrating impaired and able athletes

Chief operating officer Simon Clegg is proud of integrating visually impaired athletes and able-bodied athletes at the European Games.

Chief operating officer Simon Clegg has said that he is proud of the European Games for hosting a visually impaired judo competition alongside the contest for able-bodied athletes.

The Games hosted a men's +90kg blind judo competition as well as a -57kg blind judo competition for women on Friday.

"The decision to integrate visually impaired judo as an integral part of the Games was made in full cooperation with the EOC, the Azerbaijan Paralympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee," Clegg told reporters at a press conference.

"I think it is a great innovation. Of course we should make sure [the European Games] does not become so big. We need to make sure this event is contained within a certain number of athletes, that is for the EOC to decide, to make sure it doesn't become unattractive to future Olympic Committees.

"It is up to the EOC to decide whether they wish to continue with it, or go a step further and have more athletes with disabilities participating in this event. I think it will have a really positive effect, not only on the athletes participating but also on the many people watching."

Azerbaijan have three athletes competing in the visually impaired competition.

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Performers depict the national flag of Azerbaijan during the Opening Ceremony for the Baku 2015 European Games at the National Stadium on June 12, 2015
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