"Anti-Azerbaijani forces, which were conducting a campaign to discredit the First European Games, have not achieved their goals," the Minister of Youth and Sports, Azad Rahimov, told the 'Azerbaijan' newspaper. According to him, the fact that Azerbaijan has taken a worthy place in the world, strongly disturbed the anti-Azerbaijani forces. "Those who speak negatively about these games have probably never watched sports. There is no force which can scare us. The anti-Azerbaijani network, which was trying to boycott the European Games, failed to achieve its goals, " Rahimov said, recalling that of the 16 Olympic sports included in the program of the First European Games, 12 were of a licensed character. No athlete would want to miss this chance, and more than 100 Olympic champions and world champions struggled for supremacy at the First European Games.
The President of the Russian Olympic Committee, Alexander Zhukov, said that the set of disciplines and competitions that were represented at the European games differed from the Olympic program: "There were more of our own [types of sports - editor], we did this, and we are very pleased with the fact that sambo was represented in the program of the European Games for the first time, and many millions of viewers were able to watch sambo."
Zhukov said that during the Games in Baku the Olympic Committee created a joint Russian and Azerbaijani House of Fans : ‘’This idea is completely justified, because the House of Fans attracted about 10 thousand people. Our sporting history along with Azerbaijan was represented there, because a lot of Azerbaijani sportsmen achieved success in the USSR team, back in the USSR. It was interesting, and most importantly, of course, almost all the athletes who won awards were honored at the House of Fans, it was very nice for the fans and for the athletes."
The Russian Olympic Committee took care of all the expenses related to the organization and stay of the Russian team at the Games. ‘’We did not deviate from the tradition of providing our travel group, the veterans of sport, to the Games. This tradition was started in London and continued in Sochi. And in Baku there were 50 of our famous Olympic champions who gave our athletes moral support at all the competitions, and in the House of Fans as they were introduced as well. "
Today, experts agree that Azerbaijan worthily held the First European Games and thus got an opportunity to popularize the culture, traditions, hospitality and beauty of the country around the world. According to Zhukov, ‘’The Games were a great success all over the world, many followed the broadcasts of the European Games. in our opinion, the European Games were held well. This competition attracted a lot of attention in Europe. In terms of the organization of the Games and the level of competition, the level of the athletes, these Games were one of the main events of the sporting season. The start of a good Games was provided. I think they have very serious prospects. In the future, they may become one of the most important, the biggest competitions in Europe."
