Azerbaijan breaths new life into Islamic Games
By Amina Nazarli
Azerbaijan has breathed new life into the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games scheduled for May 2017 in Baku.
Chingiz Huseynzade, Vice-President of the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan made the remark at a press conference on Tuesday.
The Islamic Solidarity Games is a multinational and 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.
During the 12 days of competition, over 5,000 athletes will compete in 20 sports disciplines.
Huseynzade noted that until now the International Olympic Committee and in general the world sports community didn’t take the Islamic Solidarity Games seriously.
“These Games were of middle level and they were held among
Islamic countries only,” Huseynzade said, adding that preparations
for the Games used to be held without any PR.
“Azerbaijan has breathed new life into the Islamic Games. Since the
very first day we have tried to bring the Islamic Solidarity Games
to the level of other major competitions, and we have done it,” he
emphasized.
Azerbaijan has been able to bring this competition at least to
the level of the continental Games, NOC’s vice-president noted.
“Currently, everyone all over the world knows that the Islamic
Games will be held in Azerbaijan, and the level they will be
carried out at is also known,” he noted.
He went on to add that the interest of international federations in the Islamic Games has also significantly increased.
“I hope the Islamic Solidarity Games to be held in Azerbaijan will set a new level, new standards of these competitions, just like we have defined the standards of the European Games,” Huseynzade said.
The Games will bring together athletes from 57 countries under
the slogan “Solidarity is our power”.
More than 160 Azerbaijani sportsmen are expected to participate in
the Games. The Muslim religion of all athletes is not a
pre-condition for participation in the competition.
The official opening ceremony and closing of the fourth Islamic Solidarity Games will be held at the Baku Olympic Stadium.
The decision to hold the fourth Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku was made at the eighth General Assembly of the ISSF in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in July 2013.
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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on
Twitter: @amina_nazarli
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