Azerbaijan has all chances to further develop gymnastics: UEG (PHOTO)

Baku, Azerbaijan, May 5

By Maksim Tsurkov – Trend:

Azerbaijan has all the possibilities to develop gymnastics even more, President of the European Union of Gymnastics (UEG) Georges Guelzec, who is in Baku to attend the FIG Executive Committee meeting, said in an interview with Trend.

He said that the development of gymnastics in Azerbaijan has been going on for over 10 years, but in the last 4-5 years it has become especially noticeable.

“Many international competitions are held in Baku - European Championships, World Cups, and now the city hosts the Council meeting of the International Federation of Gymnastics (FIG),” Guelzec said. “This is an indicator of the contribution Azerbaijan makes to the world gymnastics. For me as UEG’s current president, it is important that the European gymnastics be strong, and Azerbaijan’s close participation in this process demonstrates the country’s assistance to the development of the European and world gymnastics.”

He stressed that Azerbaijan has every opportunity to develop even more.

“First of all, the infrastructure here is found almost nowhere else in the world,” he noted. “Second, the employees and staff of the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation are all actively involved in the development [of gymnastics] and want to do even more. Most importantly, there is support for their work by the [Azerbaijani] government. These three factors prove that gymnastics here can develop further.”

The UEG president added that it is important for him that the UEG’s successful policy on the development of gymnastics be continued.

“For this reason, as I have repeatedly stressed, I will support Secretary General of the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation Farid Gaibov at the election of the UEG president in December [2017],” he said. “To continue all that we have done until this day, it is very important that he become president.”

“Gaibov has worked as vice president of the UEG for already four years, he knows the policy and the basic structure of the Union,” Guelzec added. “Besides, he has his own ideas, and for me it means the continuation of our successful policy. This doesn’t mean that Farid should work like me. I am sure he will move in the right direction. I will retire after the election and focus on myself.”

The FIG Council meeting will start in Baku on May 6. As part of this, a meeting of the presidential commission was held on May 3, and the Executive Committee’s meetings will be held on May 4-5. More than 70 representatives of governing bodies of the Federation will take part in the FIG Council.