Azerbaijan’s Minister of Youth and Sports Farid Gayibov has said that the country is now increasingly represented by local athletes in winter sports, reflecting the steady development of the discipline in recent years, Idman.Biz reports.
Speaking ahead of the start of the European Ski Mountaineering Championships at the Shahdag Tourism Centre, Gayibov noted that Azerbaijan continues to strengthen its position as a host of major winter sporting events.
“As you know, last year the Ski Mountaineering World Cup was held at the Shahdag Tourism Centre, and today the European Championships in the same sport have started in Azerbaijan,” the minister said.
Gayibov also recalled that special attention has been given to the development of winter sports on the instruction of President Ilham Aliyev. He pointed out that in addition to the competitions in Shahdag, Baku hosted the Junior Figure Skating Grand Prix at the Heydar Aliyev Sports and Concert Complex last year.
According to the minister, Azerbaijan’s calendar remains busy with winter sports events. Another major international competition is scheduled for 14 March, when Shahdag will host a Freestyle Moguls World Cup event.
Gayibov stressed that more than 100 Azerbaijani athletes are taking part in various winter sports competitions. “What makes us particularly proud is that our country is now represented by local athletes rather than invited competitors from abroad, and their results are already quite encouraging,” he said, also thanking the Azerbaijan Winter Sports Federation for its role in organising the events.
