Turkish weightlifter thanks President Aliyev for invitation after dedicating medal to Azerbaijan

Turkish weightlifter Yusuf Fehmi Genç has expressed his gratitude to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and the Azerbaijani people for the invitation that he received after dedicating his medal, won in Armenia, to Azerbaijan.

The athlete, who won gold in the 73 kg category at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games, recalled in an interview with Report the events surrounding the 2023 European Championships held in Armenia.

"First of all, I would like to say that in 2023, I became the European Champion in Armenia and dedicated my medal to the Azerbaijani people. Following that, President Ilham Aliyev invited me and my teammates to Azerbaijan. I would like to express my gratitude to President Aliyev and to all Azerbaijanis," Genç said.

He also noted that he enjoys a warm relationship with Azerbaijani weightlifters.

"I became champion again at these games, and I was confident I would easily win the gold medal because I believe in myself. I also believe in the success of Azerbaijani athletes. We maintain good relations, especially with Dadash Dadashbeyli and Isa Rustamov," he added.

In 2023, the Azerbaijani national team withdrew from the European Championships in Armenia after an incident in which the Azerbaijani flag was disrespected during the opening ceremony.

By Khagan Isayev