On June 12 meeting of NOC President Ilham Aliyev with the members of Azeri handball combined teams and Handball Federation board took place in the Administrative Building of the National Olympic Committee.

Congratulating women combined team of Azerbaijan with the victory in international tournament "Challenge trophy" that took place in Baku, ILHAM ALIYEV said: - I am very glad that such a wonderful team has been set for such a short period of time, which wins in such prestige tournaments. It is even more pleasant, because here, in Azerbaijan, we have always had traditionally strong kinds of sport, including handball. Presence of two Olympic champions - Rafiga Shabanova and Ludmila Shubina is an evident of it. They have always been glorifying both Baku and Azerbaijan.

However, some decline took place here as in many other kinds of sport at some stage. There were both objective and subjective reasons. However, the main factor is that it was possible to reestablish fame of Azeri sport as a whole, including handball for such a short period of time. We have gained many achievements recently. Many victories, medals have been conquered and it leaves more responsibility. Though sport is a sport and it is impossible to win here always.

However, taking into account that traditions existing in Azeri sport have been revived, I believe that we will have a lot of victories in handball and other kinds of sport. Playing kinds of sport are roomier, complicated. It is not easy to conquer high places in sportive combats but there is more competition in the playing kinds of sport. If there are various weight categories in combats, one member of the team may win, another one lose, it doesn't take place in playing kinds of sport. The team wins here. That is why your victory is evident that Azerbaijan is achieving success in playing kinds of sport. All of it raises prestige of Azeri sport and our country as a whole.

I was watching your play with pleasure and it is pleasant that the team demonstrated high class and the competitors were not weak as well. There is progress at the level of the team development. It is Handball Federation's service first of all. When we recommending Heydar Babayev to the post of the Federation head, it was not a secret that it was hard situation there. He was able to organize all arrangements and matters for very short term. There is such a practice now in all federations that leaders of Federations are authorized people, and specialists, concrete kind of sport coaches are around it. Synthesis of these factors is a pledge of success. Sport in Azerbaijan is a key factor in the public life. We were achieving it. Our purpose was that the sportsmen were respected, everybody was proud with them, the youth, adults, children intended to go in for sport. All of this is passing in Azerbaijan now. Thought that the sportsman is a well-deserved profession is being strengthened in people's consciousness.

NOC President highly appreciated work of Olympic champions Rafiga Shabanova and Ludmila Shubina in training of Azeri handball players. He assumed the sportsmen that NOC would always render its assistance to them.

Handball Federation President Heydar Babayev spoke after that. He thanked Ilham Aliyev for the permanent support rendered in the development of all kinds of sport in Azerbaijan. Speaking about federation activity and noting about existence of the traditions of handball in Azerbaijan, he said that all work federation carried out in strengthening of men and women teams had always been carried out with the care of NOC President. Heydar Babayev also note that the federation wasn't going to stop at the achieved and it would be representing Azerbaijan in both team tournaments and championships.

Senior coach of women handball combined team Rafiga Shabanova and captain of the team Reyhan Nabiyeva thanked NOC President for his care of team, support of sport veterans and assumed Ilham Aliyev that in their turn, they would do their best Azeri handball was represented with honor in the world arena.

Rafiga Shabanova demonstrated her cup conquered by its team and presented the copy of this award to NOC President Ilham Aliyev. She also presented NOC President videotape with the tournament's final match. NOC President and meeting participants made a photo.

Minister of youth, sport and tourism Abulfaz Garayev took part in the meeting.

BAKU.13.06.2002.AzerTAg.