Four-times Olympic biathlon champion Darya Domracheva finally carried the 2019 European Games Flame when it arrived in Minsk before Friday's (June 21) Opening Ceremony.

At Paris Charles De Gaulle airport I look behind me while checking in for the Minsk flight, and suddenly the French team are there, in their dark blue tracksuits and Olympic logo insignia. At departures two groups settle, joking and laughing in between the obligatory scanning of mobiles - boxers, and 3x3 basketball players. You can hear the excitement.

Organisers of the Minsk 2019 European Games have revealed to insidethegames that more than 150,000 tickets have been sold for the multi-sport competition opening here on Friday (June 21).

As the European Games flame finally approaches the city of Minsk, the Torch Relay cavalcade made one last stop en-route to pay tribute to those who liberated Belarus from Nazi occupation 75-years ago.

Cyprus' National Olympic Committee (COC) have announced that 39 of their athletes will compete at the Minsk 2019 European Games here, including seven Olympians. 

Self-suspended former European Olympic Committees (EOC) President Patrick Hickey has accepted an invitation to attend this month's European Games in Minsk.

Olympic judo champion Mijlinda Kelmendi will lead medal hopes for Kosovo at the European Games in Minsk.

Seven-times world sambo champion Artem Osipenko will be the flag bearer for the Russian team at the Opening Ceremony of the European Games in Minsk.

A gallery exhibition dedicated to the "High Art of Sport" has opened as part of the cultural programme of the 2019 European Games in Minsk.

Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI) officials have questioned a decision from the European Olympic Committees (EOC) to invite self-suspended former President Patrick Hickey to this month's European Games in Minsk.

Three-times Olympian Chloe Magee will be Team Ireland's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the European Games in Minsk, it has been announced. 

Sambo's growing popularity has seen all tickets for the preliminary round of its programme at the European Games in Minsk, Belarus, sell out.

International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) President Thomas Weikert has revealed he has "doubts" about the European Games concept and suggested the sport could split from the event to join the rival multi-sport European Championships.

An augmented reality mobile application has been launched for this month's European Games in Minsk. 

With only three weeks until the European Games open in Minsk, the Flame has reached Shklov where it has been carried by another Belarusian sporting hero.