Azerbaijan National Olympic Committee

In 1992 there was established the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan could not take part in the XXV Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona as an independent state which was held in the same year, because the license assignments had been over till the Committee was set up and accepted by the International Olympic Committee in 1993. This time, five sportsmen from our country were to take part in the Olympic Games together with the joint team of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan was raised and the hymn was played in the Barcelona Olympic Games.

The events worth to mention in activities of the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan within years of 1992-1997 cover participation in the European Youth Olympic Days and organization of the International Running Days in Baku. The most important event in the said period was participation of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Olympic Games in 1996 as an independent state for the first time. Heydar Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan played a great role in realization of that historic event. The decree for preparation for Atlanta Games, keeping the preparation under continues state control and strengthening of the care and attention to the sportsmen gave positive result. Azerbaijan was represented with 23 sportsmen in Atlanta and gained one silver medal.

The works carried out within the first five-year period of activity of the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan generally were not organized at a proper level and could not be deemed satisfactory. There was a need for sustainable change in the activities. Next general Assembly of the National Olympic Committee held in July 31, 2007 defined the new Board of the Committee and İlham Aliyev was elected the president of the National Olympic Committee. The directions of the activities of the Committee were determined.

In 2002 Azerbaijan took part in the Winter Olympic Games for the second time. In the Games organized in the Salt Lake City of the USA our sportsmen participated in 3 games. In August 2004 we won 5 medals in Olympic Games in Athens for the first time in our sports history. All of these should be evaluated as successful results of the organizational activity of Mr. Ilham Aliyev.Azerbaijan has a base in 64 kinds of sport. There are 53 Sports Federations, 66 sports organizations, 60 sport clubs, and 170 sport schools operating in our republic. 23 of the Federations supports Olympic Sports and 36 of them supports non-Olympic sports. Currently more than 365,489 persons are engaged in sports and physical training. During the last 15 years the sportsmen of Azerbaijan gained 945 medals in official international games.

The development of the Olympic movement in Azerbaijan is owing to the President Ilham Aliyev.Azerbaijan gained serious achievements in the Olympic Games. From this point of view, the preparation for and participation in the China Olympic Games draw more attention. The purpose in participation in the China Olympic Games was to represent the sports of Azerbaijan with dignity and raise the three-colored flag of independent Republic of Azerbaijan. Thanks to Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the factors having positive effect on development of the Olympic movement in our country is the provision of each sportsman and trainer with grants by the NOC and Youth and Sports Ministry. The NOC renders special care to development of the sports and Olympic Movement in Azerbaijan. The positive results of the past experience are used for the development of the sports among youth and juveniles and improving its reputation. The NOC was able to gain wide reputation in the world and distinguished by its operation and gained achievements.

The World and European championships held in Azerbaijan are successive. So, every year various international contests, championships for various kinds of sport included in the Olympic sports such as rhythmic gymnastics, taekwondo, wrestling, boxing, karate and et cetera have held in Azerbaijan.Care for the sportsmen is continued at the state level.