Azerbaijan to benefit in many different ways by hosting European Games
By hosting the European Games, Azerbaijan stands to benefit in
many different ways, Northern Ireland Social Democratic and Labour
Party's Councillor Colin Keenan told Trend.
"Internationally, this event will bring much of the world's
attention, giving Azerbaijan the opportunity to showcase the best
of itself," he said, commenting on the upcoming event.
Baku 2015 is the first ever European Games, an exciting and
innovative multi-sport event for the continent which will take
place on June 12-28, 2015.
A total of 20 sports will be represented at Baku 2015: 16 Olympic
sports and four non-Olympic sports. More than 6,000 athletes from
across Europe will be representing their nations over 17 days of
competition. Baku was awarded the games by the European Olympic
Committees (EOC) in December 2012.
Keenan believes such attention to the Games will generate tourist
interest that will economically prosper the country long after the
games have left.
"For the local economy too, with 6000 plus athletes attending, not
to mention spectators and tourists, local businesses stand to be
much better off," he said.
"In Europe, sport can be used as means to create the space
necessary for understanding between the nation states. For the
prospective participants too, these games offer them yet another
outlet for others to recognize the hard work, perseverance and
commitment it takes to be a world class athlete.”
He is confident that the Games will be a huge success for everyone
involved, Keenan said.
Commenting on the campaigns to discredit Azerbaijan by the
international circles, foreign NGOs on the eve of the European
Games, he said that sport is a tool to bring people together.
Sport should not be a tool used to create division among people or
to make political statements, he said.
“Athletes who compete, wish to see their hard work, perseverance
and commitment recognized and celebrated,” he said. “They do not
wish to be the pawns in other peoples’ political warfare.”
“As such, we all owe them a duty, to make these games purely about
sport,” he said. “It is never right to politicize sport and as
such, I urge those who would think of doing so to think again.”
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