Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend V. Mammadov / An event took place at the headquarters of the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan (NOC) on the occasion of the fifteenth anniversary of the organization's establishment. In his speech, the NOC Vice President, Chingiz Huseynzade, particularly highlighted the role of the President of Azerbaijan and also President of the National Olympic Committee, Ilham Aliyev, in establishing and developing the Olympic movement in Azerbaijan and congratulated the sports community on this occasion. He considers that this event is a double holiday for Azerbaijan's sports community.
Exactly after Ilham Aliyev was elected the President of the NOC, the Olympic movement in the country began to rapidly develop and predetermined a high place for the NOC with the elite of the sports world.
Azerbaijan's Minister of Youth and Sport, Vice President of the NOC, Azad Rahimov, also mentioned the role of Ilham Aliyev, who surely continues the work commenced by Azerbaijan's Nationwide Leader, Heydar Aliyev. He said that the State cares about sports, as well as the large-scale construction of sports facilities, the triumph of the Azerbaijani sportsmen in the international arenas, and the high level of conduct of the international championships and events that became a definitive fact in forming Azerbaijan's sports image. Rahimov highlighted Baku city's nomination for hosting the 2016 Olympic Games as an obvious example of it.
After the speeches, a celebration took place in honour of the Olympic movement's participants awarded by the order of the State Head. The NOC Vice President, Chingiz Huseynzade and head trainer of the Azerbaijani women's volleyball team, Faig Garayev become honored order-bearers. They were awarded the Glory Medal for their services in developing the Olympic movement in Azerbaijan.
In addition, due to its anniversary, the NOC has been receiving congratulatory messages from international sport organizations.
The President of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, expressed his gratitude for Azerbaijan's special role in contributing to the development of the international Olympic movement.
The Head of the European Olympic Committee, Patrick Joseph Hickey, stated that due to the rapid development of athleticism in Azerbaijan, the country gained a leading role in the Olympic movement.
On 26 October a ceremonial event took place with regards to the fifteenth anniversary of the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan. The event is attended by guests from the Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Lithuania, Belarus, and other countries.
Representatives of the International Olympic Committee did not participate in the fifteenth anniversary of the NOC due to Baku's nomination for hosting the 2016 Olympic Games. According to the regulations of the International Olympic Committee, until determining the winner, the Committee's members can not visit these countries.