President Aliyev joins ceremony to see off Azerbaijani athletes who will compete at Rio 2016 PHOTO
An official ceremony has today been held to see off the Azerbaijani athletes, who will participate in the 31st Summer Olympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Azerbaijani President, National Olympic Committee Head Ilham Aliyev attended the ceremony.
Development of sport in Azerbaijan testifies for our general development, President Aliyev said addressing the event.
Noting the country will be represented by 56 sportsmen at the Olympic Games, the Head of State said this was more than the past year.
The President expressed confidence that Azerbaijani sportsmen would do their best and vie for worthy achievements. “In the last four years, the country’s sportsmen had always succeeded in the international competitions, in the world and European championships, and returned with great triumphs to the Motherland,” the president underlined.
President Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan is known in the world as a sporting nation today, the President said.
“The world sports community knows and accepts it. We pursue expedient policy in connection with sports, the Olympic Movement in Azerbaijan. All organizations governing sports are working hard. The National Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, federations, societies, clubs – in other words, sport in Azerbaijan is developing well and the state policy is conducted at a high level,” he said.
“The states’ sports policy has become a social factor among the Azerbaijani society. Today, the sportsmen are respectful and worthy people in our country. The number of people who regularly take part in sport is rising, the reason of which is successes of sportsmen and the state care for them”.
Other speakers included Minister of Youth and Sports Azad Rahimov, Greco-Roman wrestling team coach Akif Aliyev, Paralympic athlete Ilham Zakiyev and Greco-Roman wrestler Rasul Chunayev.
Following the speeches the Azerbaijani athletes took the Olympic oath.
President Ilham Aliyev posed for photographs with the athletes.
---
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
