The deal will see the Discovery-owned sports broadcaster show coverage of elite-level athletics competitions, beginning with this year's European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam from July 6 to 10.

The agreement also includes the 2017 European Athletics Indoor Championships, due to be staged in Belgrade, and the event two years later, with a host for the 2019 competition yet to be decided.

The 2017 European Athletics Team Championships in Lille and the next two editions of the event, in 2018 and 2019, will also be covered under the partnership.

The Pan-Continental channel was awarded all television and multi-platform broadcast rights in Europe for the 2018-2024 Olympic Games cycle by the International Olympic Committee last year.

“Eurosport has firmly established itself as the destination of choice for fans of Olympic sports on a year-round basis,” Eurosport chief executive Peter Hutton said.

“This deal demonstrates our commitment to athletics and the Olympic movement as we look forward to beginning our coverage of the Olympic Games across Europe in two years’ time.”

Eurosport’s deal with the EBU continues the broadcaster’s relationship with the sport as they also have International Association of Athletics Federations Diamond League rights in the United Kingdom, Germany and Asia-Pacific regions.

The company recently appointed Britain's triple jump world record holder Jonathan Edwards as their lead presenter.

The 49-year-old, who has gold medals from the Olympics, World Championships, European Championships and Commonwealth Games in his collection, moved into broadcasting at the end of his athletics career.

He has covered the last four Olympic Games for the BBC and is due to make his Eurosport debut at the European Aquatics Championships in London between May 9 and 22.