In mid-February 2017, the Russian Wrestling Federation announced that it would support Dagestan’s initiative to host the European Championship, which had previously been held in Russia only twice - in 1976 in Leningrad and in 2006 in Moscow . In May 2017, during the European Championship in Serbian Novi Sad , a presentation of Kaspiysk was held [7] . From June 8 to 11, 2017, the Russian women's freestyle wrestling championship was held in Kaspiysk, which was also planned to be considered as a kind of preparation for submitting an application for holding a tournament in Russia in 2018 [8] . On August 24, 2017, during the World Cup , the Bureau of the United Wrestling World (UWW) at a meeting in Paris ( France ) approved the Russian city of Kaspiysk as the venue for the European Wrestling Championship in 2018 in three wrestling styles [9] . Before the final decision of the UWW bureau, the applicants for the continental leadership were Romanian Bucharest [10] . For the first time in history, Dagestan will host the European Championship . The presentation of the application in Paris was attended by the Chairman of the Government of Dagestan Abdusamad Hamidov ( USSR Master of Sports of the international class in wrestling [11] ), who confirmed the guarantees of organizing the tournament at the highest level.
On November 13, 2017, the acting president of Dagestan Vladimir Vasiliev headed the organizing committee for the preparation for the Championship, his deputies will be the president of the FSBR, vice-president of the United Wrestling World Mikhail Mamiashvili , interim president of the Prime Minister of Dagestan Abdusamad Hamidov, and deputy sports minister of Russia Sergey Kosilov . According to Abdusalam Hamidov, at the beginning of November 2017, all plans for the reconstruction of the Ali Aliyev sports complex were fully approved. It was visited by representatives of the inspection of the United World of Wrestling, who approved this concept. By March 2018, all these transformations will be completed [12] . From November 15 to the end of December 2017, a company was launched to recruit more than 300 volunteers to participate in the organization and conduct of the European Championship-2018, including 40 students of DGU and DSPU who speak English and French to work with sports delegations, representatives of international federations and the media [13] [14] . In mid-January, it became known that the renewed hall of the Ali Aliyev Sports Palace will be ready by March 1, 2018, the general rehearsal for the European Championship will be the International Freestyle Wrestling Tournament “Caspian Cup” with the participation of four wrestling powers: Russia, Iran , Turkey and Azerbaijan [15] . Also, in mid-January 2018, the selection of 250 volunteers for work at the European Championships began [16] . A few days later it became known that the Sports Palace will be handed over earlier, by February 20. In the Palace, the area of the warm-up hall will be increased without violating the architecture of the building [17] . At the end of January 2018, it became known that the President of the United Wrestling World (UWW) Nenad Lalovic will visit the “Caspian Cup” in freestyle wrestling, which will be held on March 3, 2018 in Kaspiysk [18] . At the end of February 2018, the First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Dagestan Anatoly Karibov said that there are tasks of putting in order the adjacent to the sports complex to them. Ali Aliyev’s territory, including the elimination of construction waste dumps, as well as the reconstruction of a section of the road connecting the M-29 federal highway and the Caspian sanatorium [19] . March 1, 2018 Nenad Lalovich visiting Kaspiysk, making an inspection visit, said that the palace named after Ali Aliyev is ready to host the European Championship [20] . The final decision was made that 300 volunteers would work at the European Championships - more than at the World Championships in Paris [21] . In mid-March 2018, the Moscow Region donated 10 carpets to Dagestan to prepare for the European Championship [22] . On March 20, 2018, a flash mob called “Welcome to the Republic” was launched in Dagestan. The action was immediately supported by athletes Murad Gaydarov , Shamil Kudiyamagomedov , Timur Gaydalov , Ilyas Bekbulatov , Frank Chamiso , Henry Sekhudo , coaches Gaydar Gaydarov and Abdusalam Gadisov , later the acting head of Dagestan Vladimir Vasilyev, deputy of the State Duma and President Alexander Karel joined the action, they joined Wrestling World, First Vice President of the Russian Wrestling Federation Georgy Bryusov , Anzhi football club [23] [24] [25] [26] , and on April 8 some players and the head coach of FC Spartak (Moscow) [27 ] , and 17 and relational and champion of the UFC - Habib Nurmagomedov [28] . Ticket sales will begin in early April 2018, the pricing policy for tickets is different, depending on the styles of wrestling and the time of the sports program (day, evening). Up to 500 rubles will cost tickets for women's, Greco-Roman wrestling, free-style wrestling - from 500 to 1500 rubles [29] . On March 22, the organizing committee of the championship announced that the Dagestan eagle was chosen as the mascot of the championship, explaining that the choice was made in favor of the eagle, since the bird is an embodiment of the national character of Dagestanis - dignity, peace, openness and hospitality [30] . At the end of March 2018 in Dagestan hotels, tourist resorts and sanatoriums, training courses on receiving guests started [31] . On April 5, 2018, medals were prepared, which will be square in shape and made in accordance with the symbols of the European Championship. The medal is 7 cm in diameter and 7 mm thick. Also on this day in Makhachkala at the stadium. E. Isinbayeva held a flash mob dedicated to the European Championship [32] [33] . About 300 people will be involved in the show program at the opening ceremony of the Championship. Choreographic and theater groups will perform before the audience. The concept of the program was made by Moscow directors Vladlen Fitenko and Alexei Antosik from SoyuzArt [34] . In April 2018, on the eve of the European Championship, subbotniks take place every weekend in the vicinity of the Sports Palace [35] . Also, during the championship, the work of all the services of the Makhachkala Uytash airport related to passenger service will be strengthened. It is expected that during the championship more than 3 thousand participants and guests of the competitions, including from abroad, will arrive through the Makhachkala airport. The airport capacity on domestic flights is 200 passengers per hour, and on international flights - 60 passengers per hour [36] . Safety measures for the tournament will be provided by 700 police officers and 400 fighters of the Russian Guard . It was also decided to involve private security companies in order to ensure security. During the competition, an enhanced duty schedule will be introduced [37] . On May 6, 2018, at a press conference, Nenad Lalovic said that the championship was held at a very high level, this concerns issues of organization, transport logistics, refereeing, the fight against doping and other aspects [38] . After the end of the tournament, the flag of the European Championship in the framework of the closing ceremony was handed over to the next organizer of the championship - Romania [39] .
The European Championship will be held in the 5,000th Palace of Sports named after five-time world champion Ali Aliyev , opened in 2011. The largest sports complex in the North Caucasus already hosted the World Cup in freestyle wrestling in 2011 , and also became the permanent venue for the Ali Aliyev International Tournament. The total area of the modern multifunctional sports complex is 17 thousand square meters. The capacity of the structure is 5.5 thousand seats with the possibility of expanding to six thousand [17] . At the end of November 2017, it became known that the sports complex is changing to UWW standards. Due to the expansion of the complex, a warm-up hall will be erected, negotiations are also ongoing with companies involved in the installation of an access control system. In addition, construction work is underway in the Caspian sanatorium in order to create adequate living conditions and training process for athletes and coaches [40] . In early January 2018, the Deputy Minister for Physical Culture and Sports of Dagestan, Gaydarbek Gaydarbekov, said that the infrastructure of the city of Kaspiysk and the sports complex named after Ali Aliyev would be ready by the end of February 2018 for the tournament [41] . On March 23, 2018, the Minister for Physical Culture and Sports of the Republic of Dagestan Magomed Magomedov said that preparations for the championship are even ahead of the deadlines that we have, it is planned to hand over the hall of the Sports Palace on April 1, and the full arena on April 15 [42] .
Accommodation of the visiting delegations will be carried out by the hotels and motels of Makhachkala , as well as the Caspian boarding house, which is located in the village of Manas , which is 30 kilometers from Kaspiysk. In the boarding house you can place all the participants of the competition together with the coaches, and this is about 700 seats, the delegates of the international federation, the international federation - Europe, the Metropol hotel is ready to accept the judge - 100 seats, the Admiral hotel is honored guests - 60 people, also the guests of honor and representatives of the media will be hosted by the Jami hotel - 100 seats, the Grand Hotel hotel - UWW management, UWW - Europe, the Thousand and One Nights hotel - guests of honor - 100 seats, most of which are located in 5-10 minutes Drive from the Sports Palace [43 ] [13] . In total, all participants and guests of the European Championship will be accommodated in 33 hotels of Makhachkala and Kaspiysk [44] . By April 15, it is planned to complete the repair of the highway connecting the M-29 federal highway and the Caspian sanatorium [45] . A parking area is also being prepared between the Anji Arena stadium and the Sports Palace [46] . By mid-April 2018, the construction of additional parking for more than 1 thousand cars will be completed [47] . Three weeks before the start of the championship in Makhachkala, work began on the elimination of potholes on the roads [48] . By April 18, 2018, the Caspian sanatorium was completely ready to accommodate the participants of the competitions and guests of the republic. On the territory of the sanatorium, the supply of high-grade Internet and mobile communications will also be strengthened. New asphalt to the sanatorium was also laid and full lighting was carried out, green spaces were planted. In Kaspiysk, a temporary restriction will be introduced on certain streets during the competition period [49] . For the first time in history, for the first time the European Championships, the format of the “sports village” will be organized on the basis of the Caspian sanatorium, not only accommodation and meals, but also a training room will be organized for wrestlers, as well as medical examination, weighing, drawing of lots for wrestlers, technical meetings with team representatives [50] .
Russia , Kaspiysk
Georgy Edisherashvili
Vladislav Andreev
Stevan Michich
Beka Lomtadze
Ivan Goody
Recep Topal
Magomedmurad Hajiyev
Zelimkhan Hadzhiev
Frank Chamiso
Martin Obst
Mihai Nagy