Azerbaijan preparing for hosting major sport events
By Nigar Orujova
More sport constructions will be established in Azerbaijan before the inauguration of Baku European Games 2015.
Some cycling parks will be built in Azerbaijan for mountain bike competitions, Azerbaijan's Sport and Youth Minister Azad Rahimov said in an article published in the newspaper "Azerbaijan".
Azerbaijan continues construction of the Park of European Games, which will host international competitions in swimming, volleyball, beach football, basketball 3x3 and water polo, according to the article.
Moreover, Azerbaijan would continue construction of the Water Sports Palace and the Olympic Stadium for 65,000 spectators, renovation of the Sport and Concert Complex named after Heydar Aliyev, Trap Shooting Sports Complex and repairing of Baku Sports Palace.
Rahimov stressed that the necessary equipment for competitions in archery is installed at the Republican stadium named after Tofik Bahramov. Meanwhile, the Baku Crystal Hall is equipped with temporary tools for boxing, fencing, karate, taekwondo and volleyball competitions. Additional works are being carried out for organizing the competitions in rowing canoeing in Mingachavir Olympic training center "Kur".
Baku Games is a major sport event for the country. The Europe's first multi-sport event will gather more than 6,000 athletes from 49 countries affiliated to the European Olympic Committees to compete in 19 sports in Azerbaijan's capital on June 12-28.
Moreover, the FIDE Congress entrusted Azerbaijan holding the World Chess Cup in 2015, and Chess Olympiad in Baku a year later, which clearly indicates that the country is capable of hosting the most prestigious tournaments, Rahimov underlines.
He emphasizes that holding of the Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku in 2017 shows the ability of Azerbaijan to host the most prestigious sporting events of the world - the Olympic Games.