SOCHI ABOUT TO START

In Azerbaijan the summer Olympic Games have always evoked great interest, with huge numbers of fans being glued to their TV screens. In the last few years interest in winter sports has been growing too. Although the climate in our country is not very suitable for this type of sport, the four-yearly Winter Olympics are becoming increasingly popular. During the last two Winter Olympics there have been direct transmissions of the Games in Azerbaijan and viewers were enthralled by the exciting contests.

The country's efforts to promote a winter tourist trade over the last few years has boosted the population's interest in winter sports. In the first few days of 2014 the first stage of the "Tufan" year-round alpine ski sports complex at Qabala was opened, within the context of which four cable-cars were commissioned and work was completed on laying out five of the 10 pistes.  The rest of the work is to be carried out in stages. In this winter season holiday-makers will already be able to avail themselves of the cable cars and go skiing. There is no need to tell you about the  "Sahdag" year-round tourist complex in Qusar district. The conditions have already been created for young sportsmen to train in this popular leisure location.

In spite of the fact that it is located in a warm climatic zone, comprehensive efforts are being made in Azerbaijan to develop and promote winter sports as well. This is why it is quite understandable that the country wants to enter its sportsmen in the Winter Olympics.

Azerbaijan first took part in the Winter Olympics in 1998. The decision was taken then with the future in mind. At that time, Azerbaijan's participation in the Olympics in [the Japanese town of] Nagano was made possible thanks to the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev, who was head of the country's National Olympic Committee. Elected president of the National Olympic Committee in 1997, Ilham Aliyev set about doing something which appeared to be unrealistic at the time. Just a few months before the Olympics, the country was included in the list of competitors. After a hasty effort to organise things, Azerbaijan was represented by five sportsmen at the contest in Japan. These were figure skaters Yuliya Vorobyeva and Igor Pashkevich, the pair skaters Inga Rodionova and Alexander Onishchenko and the alpine skier Elbrus Isakov. Yuliya and Igor took 16th place, the Rodionova-Onishchenko pair skaters took 18th place, but Elbrus Isakov was unable to enter the competition on the day owing to health problems.

At the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City Azerbaijan only entered figure skaters and skiers. The figure skater Sergey Rylov took 24th place out of 28, and the pair skaters Kristina Fraser and Igor Lukanin, who presented interesting entries in the short, compulsory and free skating programmes, took 17th place out of 32. Elbrus Isakov did not manage to finish the course at the first attempt at the slalom.

In the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin two sportsmen, the figure skaters Kristina Fraser and Igor Lukanin, defended Azerbaijan's honour. They finished the compulsory programme in 20th place out of 24, gained 19th place in the short programme and 17th place in the free skating, collecting a total of 77.14 points. 

The alpine skiers Cedric Nots and Geya Bassini Antivarini represented the country at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

The XXII Winter Olympics are to start in Sochi in February this year. The five sportsmen representing Azerbaijan are the figure skaters Yuliya Zlobina and Aleksey Sitnikov, the skiers Patrick Brahner, Cedric Nots and Geya Bassini Antivarini. Azerbaijan's National Olympic Committee is already completing the preparations. The well-known Italian fashion house Larusmiani has designed the costumes for Azerbaijan's delegation. This fashion house specialises in individual top-quality garments to order. Azerbaijan's delegation is led by Konul Nurullayeva, the head of the International Contacts Department of the National Olympic Committee. Youth and Sports Minister Azad Rahimov, the National Olympic Committee vice-president, and the president of the Winter Sports Federation, Iskandar Xallilov are expected to be members of the delegation among others.

In the not so distant past many thought that it was pointless to take part in the Winter Olympics. But time has proved that the National Olympic Committee has taken the right decision. In displaying equal interest in developing all types of sport and ensuring the country's participation in the Winter Olympics, Azerbaijan's leaders have displayed their adherence to upholding the country's sporting image.

Although not every country manages to win medals at the Olympics, their participation in them confirms their membership of the world Olympic family. The state flag and information about the participating countries is presented during the world-wide direct transmission of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games. 

The XXII Winter Olympics are to start on 7th February 2014 and to end on 23rd February. During the 16 days almost 3,000 sportsmen from 85 countries will battle for 98 sets of medals.

Although it is not possible to promote all types of winter sports in the country for climatic reasons, it is really gratifying for Azerbaijan to take part in such a magnificent festival of sport. The Olympic slogan says that "it is not the winning, but the taking part that counts."