Author: Interview by Ramin Naziev, Baku, exclusive to VK
In Azerbaijan the year 2012 was declared the Year of Sport. There were international sporting events, new training facilities, the Olympic team of Azerbaijan brought 10 Olympic medals from London. Twenty years ago the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Azerbaijan was created. Vice-president of the NOC and world champion in freestyle wrestling Khazar Isayev told VK about the history of its creation, the challenges of the Olympic movement and about himself.
- How was the NOC of Azerbaijan created?
- We all remember what had severe early years of our independence. Negative processes, chaos and economic decline had a negative effect on sport. Athletes were not able to go to competitions or training camps. After the return of the national leader Heydar Aliyev to power in 1993, in sport, as in all areas, we began to have success. He got involved in sports issues, repaired training bases from the times of the Soviet Union. Public policy was developed, and we were able to achieve success in the sports arena. The NOC was established a year after the restoration of independence. From 1992 to 1997, the Olympic movement in the country was not very effective. But since in 1997 Ilham Aliyev became president of the National Olympic Committee, our progress in sport has become significant and started to yield results. At the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996, wrestler Namik Abdullayev got one gold medal, and our athletes have won three in Sydney, five in Athens, seven in Beijing and ten in London, two of which were gold. Since the mid-1990s, Azerbaijan has done much in the sports field, in the Olympic movement. Famous athletes, coaches and sports professionals who left the country in the first years of independence have returned home. Conditions for the training process were created, and steps were taken to develop various sports and strengthen the leadership of the federations. The Ministry, the NOC, federations, sports associations and clubs worked like a united body. If you look at the history of the sport over these 20 years, we can see that we are consistently building sporting success. Azerbaijan became a member of the International and European Olympic Committees. Our success is measured by international sports bodies. With the support of the international federations numerous sporting events were held in the country, including the European and World Championships for both the Olympic and non-Olympic sports. Today in Azerbaijan, international sports competitions are held at a high level. Excellent conditions are created for all competitors. We have a great sports infrastructure and Olympic complexes. The number of competitors is increasing every year. Government policy in this area is carried out successfully. Thanks to this, we can present Azerbaijan to the international community as a sporting power.
- What are the objectives of the NOC in the near future?
- Today 35 sports centers are being constructed across the country. If there are good conditions and an incentive for the athletes, the results will continue to improve from year to year. Since 1997, the work has been at the highest level, and in the future we will try to raise the bar of development. We are interested in solving the problems of our athletes and their coaches, and we are trying to create the best conditions for them. For 20 years, Azerbaijan has built a good foundation for the development of the Olympic movement. Sports as a separate field is closely associated with the culture of every state and every nation. When we show culture, traditions and history, we always pay attention to all issues related to sports. The achievements of the last 14 years have made Azerbaijan famous in the world as a leading country in the sports world. Development and progress in the field of sport and the Olympic movement in Azerbaijan, as well as all the prospects opened up for us, are the result of the attention to this sphere of Ilham Aliyev, his commitment and the continuation of the policy of the national leader, Heydar Aliyev. Analyzing the work done during the period from 1997, we can say that the appointment of Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the NOC has become the most important and brilliant event in the history of our sport. Sport and the Olympic movement are one of the most difficult areas in which consistent work is an essential condition for success. It is necessary to choose where to use the main force, to use existing capacities efficiently, and most importantly, be able to make good decisions. Azerbaijani state policy in the field of sports and the effective activity of the NOC resulted in a rapid improvement in the sports image of our country in the world. If, before 1997, getting permission to conduct a small international tournament in Azerbaijan was difficult, now the international federations handle multiple requests about continental and international championships in the country. Azerbaijan became the site of tournaments with an Olympic license and world championships at European level. The high assessment of NOC by the International Olympic Committee is connected with the development of the Olympic movement in Azerbaijan. Sport and the Olympic movement are a leading force in the society. The development of these areas at the appropriate level, as an indicator of the development of any society or state, provides an opportunity for the education of a physically and mentally healthy generation.
To be continued
