Ragif Abbasov: "There is already global interest in the first European Summer Olympic Games in Baku"

Interviewed by Ramin Naziev, Baku. Specially for "Vestnik Kavkaza."

On December 8, the General Assembly of the European Olympic Committee (EOC) at its 41st meeting in Rome decided to hold the first European Summer Olympic Games in 2015 in Baku. The candidature of the Azerbaijani capital was supported by 28 members of the General Assembly. The Head of the Main Administration of Youth and Sport of Baku, Ragif Abbasov, told "Vestnik Kavkaza" about the structure of the Games and preparations for them.

- Organisation of events of this magnitude requires a lot of money. Will you attract sponsors?

- The main factor of the Olympics is human resources and personnel. Volunteers alone will number at least 10,000 - those who will be working in the Olympic village, welcoming, seeing off,  translating, and announcing information. For sports (and not only) companies, this will be a good sports ground, where you can promote your products. But the choice of these companies is made with the focus on quality, a healthy lifestyle, not contrasting with the Olympic movement. Already today there are large holdings in Azerbaijan, which sponsor and conduct promotional activities not only within the country but also abroad. Also presumed is the attention of international institutions and companies, which are not functioning in Azerbaijan, but at that time come to advertise their products. These new advertising partners are today finalizing their proposals. Without sponsorship, advertising and mutual cooperation, only with the means of the IOC and the NOC, it would be very difficult to organize the Olympics.

- Will the state be the main sponsor?

- At present, Azerbaijan, having some infrastructure, takes off some financial burden. But there is a financial component, which necessarily must be spent. This applies to security, visa issues, accommodation, food. The percentage share of the state's participation will be announced by mid-2013. Since this is the first game, they will be held in a country which to a large extent wants to hold it, the state will take some financial burden, but the European Olympic Committee is also interested in the financial component of this project. And it is natural to offer services to the party that takes the financial burden, not only for the period, but also at a later time. This is a mutually-beneficial partnership.

- Will this ambitious project provoke the world's interest, and will Azerbaijan receive some financial revenue from the Olympics?

- According to the monitoring of relevant information, there is already worldwide interest. If we look at the audience that monitors these sports, if we remember that a team competition will be held, with medal awards, then any European country will want to show off in the continent as the best, the most prepared. This healthy competition will attract more audiences. This is additional interest in the games. And the media partners are not limited by the European continent, the broadcast will be not only in Europe, because the other continents will want see their rivals for the first European Summer Olympic Games, to analyse their performance. This is also an additional audience.

- How will the security be organized?

- Soon we will know how many people will live in the Olympic Village. There will also be special guest delegations in some sports - members of the executive committee, members of the individual European federations, those officiating. There are coaches, staff medical services. There is also a tourist component - the people who will come to support their athletes. Soon Mr. President will approve the commission, which will include representatives of the power structures, experienced in practical work in this field. Security will be provided not only during the competitions, but also later. In the questionnaire which every athlete will fill out there  will be safety instructions on what should be done, and how it should be done, during the event and in the following days.

- Will Azerbaijan be able to guarantee safety for Armenian tourists?

- We guarantee safety to Olympic competitions from all countries. A citizen of any country has the right to attend these events. To date, there are no diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, so those who want to come here will have to take some diplomatic briefing, that despite the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, they accept the rules adopted by the country hosting the competition. If a person coming to Azerbaijan as a tourist accepts the obligation to comply with the laws of this country, there will be no problems. But if a person comes with some "ulterior motive", obscure purpose, then, of course, this person will be questioned.

- Will Athletes need to obtain a license to the Olympics, or will the participation of athletes be free?

- EOC proposed that these games (they will be held one year before the main Olympic Games) be also licensed to the main Olympics. If the proposal is approved (and this will happen in the next three months), then the significance of these events will increase - the athletes will come not only for its own sake, but for the sake of getting to the main Olympic Games. This would be correct. Both the Asian Games and the Pan-American and African Games give a license to participate in the Summer Olympics. Perhaps the main license burden will fall on these competitions. So, we will see in this competition European champions, winners of the main Olympic Games, and it will increase the healthy competition of the event.

- What sports are included in the program of the Olympic Games?

- Evidently, judo, boxing, table tennis, badminton, taekwondo, shooting, triathlon, volleyball and handball. Options for non-Olympic sports - karate, maybe chess - are also being considered. In 2015, Azerbaijan will hold the World Chess Cup, and in 2016 the Chess Olympiad.

The program will include combats, probably sambo. There may be some sports which bring many medals, such as athletics. Cycling, water sports and gymnastics are also under consideration. The priority will be the promotion of sports, in which Europe is interested, so that European countries will rehearse at these sports before the main Olympic Games.