President of Azerbaijan, President of National Olympic Committee Ilham Aliyev has met on September 3 at the administrative building of NOC with members and coaches of the national wrestling and taekwondo teams that have successfully performed lately in international competitions.

President Ilham Aliyev noted care the state renders lately in Azerbaijan to the sports is highly valued by International Olympic Committee and world sports federations. President of Azerbaijan said:

Sports is very rapidly developed in Azerbaijan. Young generation and experienced sportsmen make us happy, at the same time lift the flag of Azerbaijan high. Your successes also make us very happy, specially taking into consideration that Summer Olympic Games will be held in Beijing next year and we are preparing very seriously for those games. We know the competition will be huge, maybe struggle will be harder in comparison with previous Olympic Games. Because different countries pay now attention to sports. Before it was not so. I am in the sports movement for 10 years and know that such attention was not paid to development of sports 7 or 10 years ago in some countries. But the situation has changed now. Every country tries to show high results in Olympic Games. Because Olympic Games is the only sports contest that involves all countries that take various places. And after that the table shows the places of countries. Everyone tries to possess high position.

Azerbaijan performed very well in last 2 Olympic Games. Our sportsmen won 3 medals in Sydney and 5 in Athens. We hope results will be good in Beijing Olympic Games too. It depends on you - sportsmen, coaches, managements of federations, action of clubs and all the sports community.

Azerbaijan successfully hosts international competitions. World Wrestling Championship will be held in 2 weeks. It is very big indicator. All the wrestling community of the world will be gathered in Azerbaijan.

This is the sigh of huge confidence and respect towards Azerbaijan that World Wrestling Federation holds the championship in Azerbaijan.

Addressing the meeting senior coach of the national freestyle wrestling team YAGUB MAMMADOV noted as result of care rendered by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the development of Olympic movement Azerbaijan has become one of the leading sports countries in the world. He said 'Your management in NOC 10 years ago was a great stimulus to the development of Azerbaijani sports. I think our wrestlers must worthily pass this exam as well. We will try to get licenses at most.'

Senior coach of the national Greco-Roman wrestling team ELCHIN JAFAROV said they will reply to the state care rendered to them with bright victories in the coming world championship. 'We will try to worthily justify this care and attention towards sports in Azerbaijan in this world championship. You know that sportsmen from over 100 countries will attend this championship. This contest will be hard and difficult also because sportsmen that will take 1-8th places will get license to Beijing Olympic Games. I think we will cope with this due to Your support, care and attention.

It was emphasized in the meeting our sportsmen will successfully perform in World Wrestling Championship and win license to Beijing Olympic Games.

At the end of the meeting, athletes and their coaches were photographed with President Ilham Aliyev.

BAKU. 04.09.2007. AzeTtag.