President Aliyev receives ISSF head
By Nigar Orujova
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev received a delegation led by
President of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation, Saudi
Arabia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, President of Saudi Arabia’s
Olympic Committee, Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
on April 8 in Baku.
The Saudi minister said he had eye-witnessed big development
processes in Azerbaijan, and noted that the state-of-the-art sports
infrastructure was established in the country.
He congratulated the head of state over gained achievements, and
noted with pleasure that Azerbaijan was ready to host the Islamic
Solidarity Games.
President Aliyev recalled with pleasure his visit to Saudi Arabia
and his meeting with King of Saudi Arabia Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al
Saud, and thanked the King of Saudi Arabia for the excellent
condition created in the holy Kaaba to pray with his family
members.
The president said he visited Mecca, Medina and the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah, and noted the importance of the
visit in terms of the further strengthening of cooperation between
the two countries and solidarity among the Muslim world.
Touching upon the visit of Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz
Al Saud to Azerbaijan, the head of state stressed the role of the
visit in expanding cooperation between the two countries in the
field of sports.
President Aliyev noted that the visit would create good
opportunities to discuss the issues related to the preparation for
the Islamic Solidarity Games.
Azerbaijan’s capital Baku was officially appointed host country for the IV Islamic Solidarity Games - to be held in Baku-2017- on April 7. The country was granted the honor to hold the IV Islamiada in Jeddah in July 2013.
The Islamic Solidarity Games is a multinational, multi-sport event involving the elite athletes of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation, which is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the UN with 57 member states spread over four continents.
Islamiada will present about 19-20 sports. The competition program will resemble that of the European Games with some additions - weightlifting for example will figure among the disciplines competing for a medal.
The Games, which will bring together athletes from 57 countries, will be held under the slogan "Solidarity is our power". Athletes do not have to be Muslims to compete in the Games - religion is in no way compulsory.
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Nigar Orujova is AzerNews’s staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @o_nigar
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