Olympic Committee: Azerbaijan establishes itself as sports power

Head of the Baku City Main Department of Youth and Sports, a member of the Azerbaijani Olympic Committee, Ragif Abbasov, has said that Azerbaijan had established itself as a sports power.

Abbasov made the announcement on the sidelines of the 5th Islamic Solidarity Games in the Turkish city of Konya, Trend informs.

He noted that Azerbaijan will retain its position in the Top 5 in terms of the number of medals at the Islamic Solidarity Games and there is every chance to improve them by taking the third line in the ranking.

“I would like to note that the holding of the 5th Islamic Solidarity Games in Türkiye is very close to how they were held in Azerbaijan in 2017. Türkiye tried to hold the Games at a high level. At the opening of the Games at the stadium in Konya, the Azerbaijani delegation was warmly welcomed. After Türkiye, we are the second largest delegation. Of the 24 sports in 22, we are represented by 282 athletes. We have an experimental team: there are experienced athletes and there are young people. In some sports, we have brought athletes who do not have experience in participating in the Islamic Solidarity Games. I would also especially like to note that the presence of President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva at the opening of the Games in Konya gave an additional incentive to athletes. The meeting in the village of athletes with athletes served as an incentive for both the coaching staff and the athletes to new victories. We have won over 60 medals and that's not all, because there are some sports that continue to compete: judo, fencing, 3x3 basketball and some competitions that have not yet started (kickboxing, karate). Azerbaijan has established itself as a sports power, and we, even though brought an experimental team, were able to maintain the dynamics of performances, and the number of medals is evidence of this. The number of legionnaires has decreased, the number of Azerbaijanis in the coaching staff has increased, and this is all good,” he said.

Abbasov noted that except for leaders in taekwondo, other athletes in various sports - in Greco-Roman wrestling (women's and men's), fencing, judo - met all expectations.

“Team captains are experienced athletes, they justified themselves as leaders, led the team, and this is also pleasing, but it is doubly pleasing that young people in various sports adequately replaced leaders,” he said.

The department’s head emphasised that the 5th Islamic Solidarity Games in Konya were remembered by the fact that Azerbaijan is represented by the largest number of volunteers.

“I am doubly grateful to sports journalism, which covers events very quickly. In Baku, we have seen a lot of information on the subject of the Games in recent days. And thanks to those who were sent to them, Azerbaijan was aware of all the sporting events that take place in Konya. I would also like to note that a special meeting was organized for sports journalists of Azerbaijan with Turkish journalists in Konya, historical, memorial and architectural places were visited, an exchange of experience was held and this was covered in the Turkish media,” he added.