POLITICS
Final stage of Nakhchivan Cup youth freestyle wrestling tournament opens
Nakhchivan, May 5 (AZERTAC). The opening of the final stage of the Nakhchivan Cup youth freestyle wrestling tournament has been held at the Olympic Sports Complex after Ilham Aliyev in the city of Nakhchivan.
The tournament marks the 91st anniversary of Azerbaijani national leader Heydar Aliyev.
Speaking to the ceremony, Azerbaijani youth and sports minister Azad Rahimov said: “Thanks to President Ilham Aliyev`s attention in the past few years sports has entered a new stage of its development in Azerbaijan.” “State-of-the-art sports facilities are being created in all regions of the country, new Olympic and sports complexes are being built. Thanks to this Azerbaijan is hosting high-profile international tournaments every year.”
The Minister hailed the Nakhchivan Cup as a remarkable event in the sport life of Azerbaijan.
First vice-president of Azerbaijan`s Wrestling Federation, Olympic champion Namig Abdullayev said the Nakhchivan tournament was “a vivid evidence of great attention paid to the development of sports in the country”.
Chairman of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic Vasif Talibov said: “The fact that this international freestyle wrestling tournament marks the 91st anniversary of Azerbaijani national leader Heydar Aliyev and that it is held in ancient Nakhchivan, where the national leader was born, adds to the tournament`s importance.”
He said national leader Heydar Aliyev had always paid great attention to the development of sports.
“Defined by the national leader, the government sports policy is today being successfully continued and developed by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.”
“Sports in our country has entered a brand new stage of its development, and Azerbaijan has become the sports hub.”
“Our athletes are making success in Olympic Games, international tournaments, world and European championships. Azerbaijan is improving its image on the international sports scene.”
Vasif Talibov highlighted the government support for sports in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. “Holding international tournaments in the Autonomous Republic has already become a tradition.”
The chairman of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic declared the final stage of the Nakhchivan Cup open.
The opening ceremony included a concert featuring performance by the song and dance ensemble of the Nakhchivan State Philharmonic Hall, and singers Zamig Huseynov, Gunay Ibrahimli and Sabina Babayeva.
A total of 85 wrestlers from Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan competed in the tournament.