Ilham Aliyev attended ceremony dedicated to 2024 sports results

On December 24, a ceremony highlighting the sports achievements of 2024 was held. The event was attended by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and President of the National Olympic Committee, Ilham Aliyev

The head of state addressed the event.

Remarks by President Ilham Aliyev

- Dear athletes, dear friends,

First of all, I would like to congratulate Azerbaijani athletes on the successes they have achieved this year. 2024 has been a successful year for also for the Azerbaijani sports. Azerbaijani athletes represented our country with dignity in international competitions, winning nearly 1,700 medals. This demonstrates that our sports are developing, a new generation of athletes is emerging, and Azerbaijan, as a sports nation, is proving its strength in various international competitions.

Of course, the biggest competition of the year was the Summer Olympic Games, where we achieved a historic result. Azerbaijan has been participating in the Olympics as an independent country since 1996, and this time, we finished in our highest position ever. Azerbaijan ranked 30th in the team standings, marking our best result to date. With over two hundred national teams competing, finishing 30th is a remarkable achievement.

I should also note that Azerbaijan finished third among Muslim countries. Considering there are about 60 Muslim countries in the world, this is a significant and truly historic achievement. Our team has once again elevated the sporting glory of our country to new heights by winning seven medals: two gold, two silver, and three bronze.

Of course, following this remarkable result, we expect our athletes to continue achieving victories and successes in future competitions. Our athletes consistently delight the Azerbaijani people with their triumphs. It goes without saying that everything necessary for the development of sports will continue to be done in the coming year and beyond. This is because the Azerbaijani state's policy in this area is clear and unwavering, and it has been consistently pursued for many years.

Sport is an integral part of our society, playing a crucial role in public life. Sports and victories have a tremendous impact, especially in the upbringing of the younger generation and in instilling patriotic feelings. Given that Azerbaijan participated in these Summer Olympic Games as a victorious nation, our athletes represented a triumphant country. Of course, this patriotic element must always remain in the spotlight.

Just as sport plays a key role in educating the younger generation in the spirit of patriotism, so too does military and physical training. Physical strength also paves the way for moral purity, and I am proud that the vast majority of our athletes serve as role models—in sports, in everyday life, and in society. Their behavior and actions bring me, and I am sure all our people, great joy. This is exactly what Azerbaijani youth should embody: patriotic, physically strong, morally pure, devoted to their people and state, unwavering in the face of outside influence, and dignified. I repeat, since 1996, our participation in the Olympic Games has had this goal, among others, of course. We needed to prove to ourselves and the world that we are a strong nation. And the strength of any state comes from the strength of its people.

I am confident that this time, our athletes, representing a victorious nation, entered the sports arenas, mats, and fields with a completely different spirit. This remarkable result once again demonstrated the strength of our state.

Our future activities will, of course, continue to focus on the development of sports. Because all the necessary decisions have been made, all relevant institutions, federations, clubs, sports associations, the Olympic Committee, and the ministry operate based on a single strategy. Enhancement work has been carried out in the federations.

I do hope that we will make further progress both in our traditional medal-winning sports and in those that have not developed very much so far. For many years, the state has been working hard to promote sports in all regions. Currently, there are 44 Olympic Sports Centers operating in our regions, and the construction of additional sports centers is planned in various areas, including the Karabakh region. We also have the most modern sports infrastructure in the city of Baku. We hosted the prestigious European Games in Baku about 10 years ago. After that, we held the Islamic Solidarity Games, and the COP29 International Climate Conference was held in and around the Olympic Stadium in Baku last month.

In other words, the sports facility we built in the past, the Olympic Stadium, has played a major role here too. Because if we hadn't done this in the past, we wouldn't have been able to hold an international event of such proportions and scale – with 197 countries and 76,000 registered participants. It was specifically noted that the guests were pleased with the organization of the Conference. There were only 10 complaints, and they were resolved quickly.

In the regions, as I said, this work will be continued. As for the liberated territories, you know very well that, along with infrastructure projects in those areas, in the cities and villages being built for the former IDPs, we are also creating sports infrastructure there along with housing. Some may think that this is a bit premature. But I believe that this must be done. Because these sports facilities have both symbolic and functional significance.

For example, the construction of the “Imarat” stadium holds great symbolic meaning. Now, a new stadium that meets all international standards is under construction in the city of Aghdam. The foundation of the Olympic Sports Center has been laid in the city of Fuzuli. International rowing competitions are already held in the Sugovushan and Kondalanchay reservoirs. Several sports competitions have been held in the city of Shusha. The stadium in the city of Khankendi, originally built in the 1950s and financed by Azerbaijan’s budget, is now undergoing a major overhaul and will be almost completely rebuilt.

Exactly a year ago, we all watched a historic football match at the Khankendi stadium. But this stadium will also meet all international standards, and the reconstruction process will be completed next year. The construction of other sports facilities is on the agenda in other liberated territories, and we will carry out this work sequentially.

Next year, Azerbaijan will host another major sports competition: the CIS Games. The third edition of the CIS Games will be held in Azerbaijan, with fourteen cities selected to participate. The main events will take place in the city of Ganja, which will serve as the center of the Games. A new stadium is currently under construction in Ganja and is expected to be operational before the Games. Additionally, just a few months ago, a large Olympic Sports Center was opened in Ganja, a facility that even Baku has never had in terms of size and functionality. Seven thousand athletes are expected to participate in the third CIS Games, compared to approximately 5,000-5,500 participants at the 2015 European Games.

In Ganja, conditions must, of course, be created to accommodate 7,000 participants, along with their teams and staff. Appropriate instructions have already been given. Starting next year, major repair and restoration work will begin in the city. The city’s infrastructure will be renewed, public transportation will be fully modernized, historical buildings will be restored, and other infrastructure projects will be implemented. This will ensure that Ganja, our ancient city and the homeland of Nizami, showcases its beauty, historical charm, and modernity to the entire CIS and beyond. Of course, we are also preparing for these Games. I am confident that, as hosts, Azerbaijani athletes - our young athletes - will achieve excellent results.

At the end of each year, or the beginning of the next, we traditionally honor our athletes with state awards and present them with apartments. This tradition has continued for 27 years. When I was elected President of the National Olympic Committee, I understood clearly that sports could not develop without state support. Many factors contribute to the development of sports in Azerbaijan, but above all, there is state backing. All awards are truly deserved. Athletes, representatives of the sports community, coaches, and other sports specialists are all rightly recognized by the state, and this is only fair.

Justice should prevail everywhere—in international relations, in families, and in every country and society. We strive for this. We have restored historical justice, our territorial integrity, and sovereignty, and we are proud of that. I am confident that this glorious victory of ours will inspire every young Azerbaijani. We have added sports victories to our great victory on the battlefield, which, of course, further enhances the international standing of our country. The development of sports reflects the overall progress of any nation. It is a demonstration of it. Azerbaijan is a strong state—one that relies on its own strength, follows its own path, has no obligations to anyone, does not bow down to anyone, and moves forward with dignity and honesty. This is our great wealth.

The developments unfolding in the world today are clear: bloody clashes, wars, conflicts, the gross interference of some countries in the affairs of others, and the escalation of tensions. We do not, and will not, experience any of this in Azerbaijan. The unity of the people and the government, the solidarity within society, our shared political views, our historical victory, and many other factors act as a safeguard against these difficulties and challenges. For nearly 30 years, Azerbaijan has thrived in an environment of stability, and I am confident that it will continue to enjoy eternal stability in the future.

As for the Karabakh and East Zangezur regions, I know that our athletes regularly visit those regions. Ten thousand people have already settled there. Most of them are children and young people. Children and young people who had never seen those places are returning there with great enthusiasm. Of course, regular visits of prominent Azerbaijani athletes to the liberated lands will be a great occasion to celebrate for both young people and children. That is why I believe that, in addition to sports competitions, the more Azerbaijani athletes, other well-known figures of our society and intellectuals visit those regions within the framework of various events, the better it will be both for them and for those living there.

Because life is starting anew there, from scratch. The projects we are implementing are unmatched in the world and perhaps never will be. In a vast geography, on an area of 15,000-16,000 square kilometers, which Armenia completely razed to the ground, a new life is emerging, and it is modern, beautiful, and comfortable. Therefore, my advice to athletes and representatives of the sports community is to visit these and other regions as a whole more often, hold meetings there, and select young sports talents. Because selection work, as sport experts know very well, is the crucial factor.

Dear friends, I congratulate you once again on your successes. The Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis is approaching, as is the New Year. I wish you a happy holiday season, good health, and continued success. Thank you.

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Following this, an award ceremony was held to honor athletes and sports experts for their contributions to the development of sports in Azerbaijan.