Azerbaijan has staged its first-ever Coaches Forum, with the opening ceremony held at Baku Crystal Hall under the organisation of the Ministry of Youth and Sport, Idman.Biz reports.
The event brought together Minister of Youth and Sport Farid Gayibov, federation officials and leading figures from across the country’s sporting community. Proceedings began with the performance of the national anthem, setting the tone for what organisers described as a milestone initiative for Azerbaijani sport.
Addressing participants, Gayibov welcomed the coaches and underlined the broader significance of the forum, which forms part of a week of events dedicated to 5 March – Physical Education and Sport Day in Azerbaijan. “Olympic sports complexes are operating in almost all of our regions. Azerbaijani sport is recognised on the world stage and continues to achieve strong results,” he said. “This year, Baku has been declared the world sports capital. Both local and international specialists are taking part in this first Coaches Forum. Sport, like all sectors, is developing rapidly. Our coaches are using modern methods, but continuous learning is essential. This forum is an important platform for that.”
The programme includes panel discussions featuring high-profile names such as Qarabag head coach Gurban Gurbanov, Azerbaijan women’s volleyball head coach Faig Garayev, Olympic champion and vice-president of the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation Namig Abdullayev, and national badminton head coach Morteza Validarvi.
Anti-doping will also be in focus, with Tahmina Taghizada, executive director of the Azerbaijan National Anti-Doping Agency, and Haydar Demirel of Hacettepe University’s Faculty of Sport Sciences set to contribute to a dedicated panel on the subject. The forum is expected to strengthen knowledge exchange and professional development within Azerbaijan’s sporting landscape.
