SPORTS
SPORTS DEVELOPMENT LINKED WITH NAME OF PRESIDENT HEYDAR ALIYEV
Welcoming the guests, President of ATF Kamaladdin Heydarov dwelt on Azerbaijan, radical changes taken place in social, political, economic and cultural life of the country.
Touching on the development of sport in the Republic and work carried out for Olympic movement expansion, he noted that due to the purposeful activity of Azerbaijan Prime Minister, President of National Olympic Committee Ilham Aliyev, sports in the country was intensively developed and considerable success achieved in that field.
Having informed that currently over 10 thousand juniors go in Taekwando, and Azerbaijani sportsmen gained gold and bronze medals at the World Championship, Kamaladdin Heydarov expressed his confidence that Azerbaijani masters of taekwando would achieve successful results at the summer Olympic games in Athens, 2004.
Having thanked for a warm reception and detail information, President of World Taekwando Federation / WTF/ Un Yong Kim expressed his satisfaction with his first visit to Azerbaijan and noted that among other former Soviet Republics, the Azerbaijani masters of taekwando achieved great success and told on significance of taekwando among other Olympic kinds of sport. He stated that sports played an important role in economic development of the country that is a result of purposeful activity of Mr. Heydar Aliyev and concern of NOC President Ilham Aliyev.
The guest hoped that Azerbaijani sportsmen would achieve great success at Athens Olympic. He noted that Olympic license taekwando tournament will be held in Azerbaijan, February 2004, and he would promote development of taekwando in the Republic as well.
In conclusion, memorable gift was handed to the guest. In his turn, President of WTF Un Yong Kim awarded President of ATF Kamaladdin Heydarov with 5th degree black belt for his merits in development of taekwando in Azerbaijan.