Minsk 2019 organisers are hoping tomorrow's Opening Ceremony at the Dinamo Stadium will miss the worst of forecast bad weather ©Getty Images

Organisers of the second European Games which start here in Minsk tomorrow are hoping the Opening Ceremony will miss the worst of the bad weather that is forecast.

Thunder and lightning are thought likely in the Belarus capital following a period of unusually high temperatures in the city.

"The weather is something outside our control," said Simon Clegg, the Minsk 2019 executive director.

"Looking at the forecasts for tomorrow there is the expectation of rain throughout the afternoon, but if you look carefully it is due to break around the time of the Ceremony, so we hope that will happen.

"MEGOC [Minsk European Games Organising Committee] is working very hard, putting in place the best possible arrangements to deal with that eventuality."

A MEGOC spokeswoman said spectators were being warned of the potential storms.

There is a measure of cover all around the recently refurbished Dinamo Stadium − from the infield of which the boom of rehearsal is clearly audible in the Main Press Centre established under one of its stands − although visitors are not believed to be allowed to carry in umbrellas.

Slovakia march in the team parade at the first European Games Opening Ceremony in Baku − a greater proportion of officials will be allowed to take part in the Minsk 2019 parade ©Getty Images
Slovakia march in the team parade at the first European Games Opening Ceremony in Baku − a greater proportion of officials will be allowed to take part in the Minsk 2019 parade ©Getty Images

Clegg confirmed to insidethegames that rules around the composition of the team parade had been relaxed in order to allow more officials to march in place of athletes whose competitions will start on Saturday (June 22).

The number of athletes on site at any one point of the Games will be limited in the interests of economy, with competitors flying in no earlier than two days before their competition and leaving the day after.

In the interests of what Clegg describes as "common sense", the limit of six marching officials which holds good in an Olympic context has been waived for these Games.

"We have adopted a pretty flexible approach allowing National Olympic Committees to allow who they wish to march in their delegations," Clegg said.

Among those athletes who will definitely be present at the Opening Ceremony is home table tennis player Vladimir Samsonov, who will carry the Belarus flag after being elected as team captain at a meeting in the Athletes' Village.

He has taken part in six Olympic Games and numerous World and European Championships.

Vasilisa Marzaliuk, the Belarusian wrestler and gold medallist at the first European Games in Baku in 2015, will take the oath on behalf of all athletes.

The Games will run until June 30.