Chief operation officers of the Baku European Games Operation Committee, Simon Clegg, has said that the start of the beach soccer event has been "absolutely fantastic".

The tournament, which features five-a-side teams competing on sand pitches, got underway at the European Games yesterday.

Clegg told reporters: "Yesterday at the European Games Park, we saw beach soccer, which had its first day of competition. I had the opportunity to visit and thought the competition was absolutely fantastic.

"Joan Cusco, who is the vice-president of Beach Soccer Worldwide, said that never before in the history of beach soccer, not even at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, have they had an arena like they have here in Baku.

"He could not have been more complimentary, not only in terms of the arena, but in terms of all the arrangements that have been made for beach soccer athletes, and that is testament to all of the hard work that has gone on in the last 30 months."

The beach soccer medals will be handed out on the final day of the Games on Sunday.