Sports as trend of state policy of Aliyev

Baku will host the first European Games next year. Besides world prestige, the Games will give Azerbaijan experience in realizing major sports projects in the future. By encouraging more young people to engage in sports, the government is raising a fit generation capable of protecting it.

The process started 17 years ago, when Ilham Aliyev became the president of the National Olympic Committee on July 31, 1997. He became the head of state only six years later. Construction of sports schools and formation of national teams was active back then. Aliyev has been meeting athletes and heads of federations. Since the early 2000s, Azerbaijan started building new sports centers according to world standards. Development of sports infrastructure was so rapid that Azerbaijan was named a sports country. International sports federations started selecting it as a host of important competitions. Most importantly, the attitude of the society to sports changed.

Being an athlete in Azerbaijan is prestigious today. Coaches and athletes have been searching for jobs abroad. Now, mercenary athletes visit Azerbaijan. By the way, there is nothing shameful in attracting mercenary athletes, it is exchange of sports technologies and experience.

Best judo coach – Aganagi Jafarov

Best boxing coach – Yadigyar Mammedov

Best Greco-Roman wrestling coach – Ismail Chopsuyev

Best sports federation – Wrestling Federation and Boxing Federation

Best sports society – Neftchi Sports and Healthcare Center

Best sports complex – Kurdamir Olympic Sports Complex

Gurban Gurbanov, the chief coach of FC Karabakh, said that all the necessary conditions have been made for football players, to make them comfortable, to maintain their families. In  Soviet times, Neftchi was one of the best football bases in the Union. Now the football clubs in Baku, Khazar Lankaran and Gabala have advanced sports centers and grounds for training. The center of FC Karabakh under construction in Surakhany will have been completed by the end of the year.

Azerbaijan started building sports centers in the most distant parts of the country. Facilities in Masalli, Beylagan, Siyazan, Shaki will have solar batteries. Azerbaijan has 9 climate zones and athletes train taking according to seasonal and geographic factors. A few years ago, a Volleyball Grand Prix was organized in Quba, a junior chess championship in Nakhchivan. Mingachevir boast the Kur rowing base, where regattas are organized all year round. Sports centers have become the carte de visite for many cities and districts. Ilham Aliyev was said to choose and test advanced equipment of sports arenas personally. It is obviously expensive equipment. Azerbaijan made sure that residents of even the most distant residential areas could use fitness machines that only wealthy people can afford in Europe. Everything built on the periphery should meet the highest standards and be technologically advanced.

BEST ATHLETES

World Boxing Champion Magomedrasul Mejidov

World Judo Champion Elkhan Mamedov

World Boxing Champion Javid Chelyabiyev

Bronze winner at World Judo Championship Orkhan Safarov

Silver winner at World Free Wrestling Championship Khetag Gazyumov

Silver winner at World and European Boxing Championships Teymur Mamedov

Baku is developing as a sports capital. Along the central avenue connecting the Azerbaijani capital with the airport stands the Olympic Village. One of the most advanced sports arenas in Europe, a stadium for 60,000 spectators is located there. The National Gymnastics Arena is a special pride of Baku. Gymnastics have become one of the favourite sports. “Development of this type of sports required a lot, we needed coaches, choreographers, doctors, managers, sports facilities and training bases. It needed colossal work, creative thinking. But, most importantly, we needed delicate taste and a sense of beauty, says Altay Gasanov, vice president of the Azerbaijani Gymnastics Federation. In 2003, the first World Free Calisthenics Cup was organized in Baku. In 2007-2009 and 2014 the country hosted the European Free Calisthenics Championship.

Five years ago, gymnasts Ayla Akhmedova and Dilyar Sultanova won gold at the European Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships. Now Ayla performs as part of a women’s trio of Cirque du Soleil. Last year she was elected as an acrobat to the commission of athletes of the International Federation of Gymnastics.

Ilham and Mehriban Aliyev are fans of sports. They have not skipped any Olympic Games. They watch the Games together with athletes, not at a special presidential lodge. It does not seem like a tribute to democracy, it is an expression of honest excitement in their athletes, their flag, their country. One should just see the eyes of Aliyev when the state anthem is played or see how he hugs winners holding the Azerbaijani flag over their heads. This is why we can hope that development of sports will remain a trend of state policy for a long time.

Why being an athlete is prestigious in AzerbaijanBaku will host the first European Games next year. Besides world prestige, the Games will give Azerbaijan experience in realizing major sports projects in the future. By encouraging more young people to engage in sports, the government is raising a fit generation capable of protecting it.The process started 17 years ago, when Ilham Aliyev became the president of the National Olympic Committee on July 31, 1997. He became the head of state only six years later. Construction of sports schools and formation of national teams was active back then. Aliyev has been meeting athletes and heads of federations. Since the early 2000s, Azerbaijan started building new sports centers according to world standards. Development of sports infrastructure was so rapid that Azerbaijan was named a sports country. International sports federations started selecting it as a host of important competitions. Most importantly, the attitude of the society to sports changed.Being an athlete in Azerbaijan is prestigious today. Coaches and athletes have been searching for jobs abroad. Now, mercenary athletes visit Azerbaijan. By the way, there is nothing shameful in attracting mercenary athletes, it is exchange of sports technologies and experience.Best judo coach – Aganagi JafarovBest boxing coach – Yadigyar MammedovBest Greco-Roman wrestling coach – Ismail ChopsuyevBest sports federation – Wrestling Federation and Boxing FederationBest sports society – Neftchi Sports and Healthcare CenterBest sports complex – Kurdamir Olympic Sports ComplexGurban Gurbanov, the chief coach of FC Karabakh, said that all the necessary conditions have been made for football players, to make them comfortable, to maintain their families. In  Soviet times, Neftchi was one of the best football bases in the Union. Now the football clubs in Baku, Khazar Lankaran and Gabala have advanced sports centers and grounds for training. The center of FC Karabakh under construction in Surakhany will have been completed by the end of the year.Azerbaijan started building sports centers in the most distant parts of the country. Facilities in Masalli, Beylagan, Siyazan, Shaki will have solar batteries. Azerbaijan has 9 climate zones and athletes train taking according to seasonal and geographic factors. A few years ago, a Volleyball Grand Prix was organized in Quba, a junior chess championship in Nakhchivan. Mingachevir boast the Kur rowing base, where regattas are organized all year round. Sports centers have become the carte de visite for many cities and districts. Ilham Aliyev was said to choose and test advanced equipment of sports arenas personally. It is obviously expensive equipment. Azerbaijan made sure that residents of even the most distant residential areas could use fitness machines that only wealthy people can afford in Europe. Everything built on the periphery should meet the highest standards and be technologically advanced.BEST ATHLETESWorld Boxing Champion Magomedrasul MejidovWorld Judo Champion Elkhan MamedovWorld Boxing Champion Javid ChelyabiyevBronze winner at World Judo Championship Orkhan SafarovSilver winner at World Free Wrestling Championship Khetag GazyumovSilver winner at World and European Boxing Championships Teymur MamedovBaku is developing as a sports capital. Along the central avenue connecting the Azerbaijani capital with the airport stands the Olympic Village. One of the most advanced sports arenas in Europe, a stadium for 60,000 spectators is located there. The National Gymnastics Arena is a special pride of Baku. Gymnastics have become one of the favourite sports. “Development of this type of sports required a lot, we needed coaches, choreographers, doctors, managers, sports facilities and training bases. It needed colossal work, creative thinking. But, most importantly, we needed delicate taste and a sense of beauty, says Altay Gasanov, vice president of the Azerbaijani Gymnastics Federation. In 2003, the first World Free Calisthenics Cup was organized in Baku. In 2007-2009 and 2014 the country hosted the European Free Calisthenics Championship.Five years ago, gymnasts Ayla Akhmedova and Dilyar Sultanova won gold at the European Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships. Now Ayla performs as part of a women’s trio of Cirque du Soleil. Last year she was elected as an acrobat to the commission of athletes of the International Federation of Gymnastics.Ilham and Mehriban Aliyev are fans of sports. They have not skipped any Olympic Games. They watch the Games together with athletes, not at a special presidential lodge. It does not seem like a tribute to democracy, it is an expression of honest excitement in their athletes, their flag, their country. One should just see the eyes of Aliyev when the state anthem is played or see how he hugs winners holding the Azerbaijani flag over their heads. This is why we can hope that development of sports will remain a trend of state policy for a long ti