2015 European Games Operation Committee (BEGOC) on Wednesday announced the appointment of Paul J Foster to the position of Director of Protocol, according to Azerbaijani media.

Foster is the founder and principal of consulting firm PJF Group, and will join BEGOC on a part-time basis in August 2014 before relocating full-time to Baku in November.

He assisted BEGOC as a consultant for the first and second Baku 2015 Coordination Commissions last year.

Foster previously held the position of Head of Protocol, Events and Hospitality at the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He was also involved in the preparations for the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

Welcoming Foster to BEGOC, Simon Clegg, Chief Operating Officer of Baku 2015, said, "Paul has a fantastic breadth and depth of experience within the Games world and this puts him in an excellent position to integrate our international and domestic dignitary programs."

Baku 2015 will include 19 sports - 16 Olympic sports and three non-Olympic sports. More than 6,000 athletes are expected to compete over the 17 days of competition.

Nine of the sports will offer qualification opportunities for the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics in 2016. Those sports include archery, athletics, beach volleyball, cycling, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo and triathlon.

Bakudaily.az