Islamic sports federation welcomes Baku's bid for 2017 tournament (UPDATE)
By Nigar Orujova
Baku is completely ready to host the fourth Islamic Solidarity Games in 2017, Secretary General of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF) Faisal Bin Abdulaziz Al-Nassar said at a press conference in Baku on May 23.
The Azerbaijani capital put forward its bid to host the tournament in February.
The press conference on Baku's nomination to host the Islamic Solidarity Games was conducted by Azerbaijan's National Olympic Committee, the Youth and Sports Ministry and ISSF.
Al-Nassar added that the Evaluation Commission for the Games believes that Baku has all the suitable conditions for holding the competition.
"I hope that Baku will be approved as the host city for the Games," he said.
Al-Nassar also stressed that the Muslim religion of all athletes is not a pre-condition for participation in the Games.
Regarding the issue of wearing hijabs by participants, he said the Olympic rules are observed regarding the issue.
Hijab is permitted in some sports, and athletes can make their own decision. However, there are sport types in which head dress is not allowed by international federations, he said.
The host city of the IV Islamic Solidarity Games is to be announced at the ISSF General Assembly congress in Jeddah on June 21.
During the news conference Azerbaijani National Olympic Committee Vice President Chingiz Huseynzade said that if Baku is chosen as host for the Games, the tournament is to be held from June 23 to July 2, 2017.
The Games, which will bring together athletes from 57 countries, have the slogan "Solidarity is our power".
According to Huseynzade, more than 160 Azerbaijani sportsmen will participate in the Games.
The Islamic Solidarity Games is a multinational, multi-sport event involving the elite athletes of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the UN with 57 member states spread over four continents.
The first of the ISG tournaments was held in 2005 in Saudi Arabia with an Olympic-style tournament aimed at showing Muslim sports prowess and featuring 6,000 athletes. Non-Muslim citizens in the member countries are also allowed to take part in the Games.
Azerbaijan gained four gold, four silver and seven bronze medals at the first ISG, thus becoming the eighth country in the medal table.
The second event, originally scheduled to take place in October 2009 in Iran, and later re-scheduled for April 2010, was cancelled after a dispute emerged between Iran and the Arab countries. The third Games will be held in Indonesia in 2013.