'It is actually surprising how few are aware of Tampere, as it is such a vibrant and lively city. 'We saw each of the venues in use during our visit, which demonstrates an active society. 'They are all high-standard and meticulously maintained. 'Overall the venues are of the highest level, from flagship venues to the smaller stadiums.' IMGA chief executive Jens Holm said. It is the first time that Finland is staging the event and the IMGA has taken advantage of Tampere's size by ensuring that all of the competition venues are under 15 minutes away from each other by car. The International Masters Games Association (IMGA) is expecting approximately 7,500 mature athletes in what is due to be the fifth edition of the event which has progressively grown in the number of sports and competitors each time.
There is just over one year to go until the 2023 European Masters Games are set to take place in Tampere in Finland from June 26 to July 9, with a provisional programme of 29 sports and disciplines.
