The final stage of the European Bodybuilding Championship was held on May 6th in the Republican Palace. Before the start of the competition inauguration ceremony of the championship was held. Abulfas Garayev, the Minister of Youth, Sport and Tourism of Azerbaijan, while making a speech sincerely welcomed the athletes and spectators, congratulated them this the holding European Bodybuilding Championships in our country for the first time and wished participants successes. Then the world was given to the President of the Azerbaijan NOC Ilham Aliyev. He sincerely welcomed all athletes and quests came to Azerbaijan and wished every success to the athletes.

Rafael Santokha, the executive assistant of the President of the International Bodybuilding Federation, declared the championship open and the competitions of the final stage championship on bodybuilding started.

70 athletes from 21 European countries including Azerbaijan, Poland, Swiss, Italy, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldavia, Rumania, Russia, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine, France, Czech Republic and others participated in the championship. Six athletes in various weight categories represented our republic.

In 65 kg weight category Azerbaijani athlete Yalchin Mammadov earned bronze medal of the continental championship having left behind the athletes from Turkey, Croatia, Poland, Swiss, Italy and Germany. Vladimir Cristov (Slovakia) took the first place.

In 70 kg kg weight category the fight finished with the victory of representative of Czech Republic Alexander Clerin. Azerbaijani athlete Anatollu Masimov took the fourth place.

In 75 kg weight category the performance was very interesting. Our countryman Tahir Fakhruddinov performed better than the athletes from Ukraine, Russia, Czech, Swiss, Italy, Slovakia, France and Holland and could gain gold medal of the European Championship.

In 80 kg weight category representative of Russia Sergey Dmitriyev, in 90 kg weight category representative of Slovakia Stefan Khavlik, in the competition of athletes with over 90 weight Latvian Rolandos Potsius became the champions of Europe.

Thus, one more European Championship to close in Azerbaijan. The members of the organizing committee, referees, athletes and spectators was content with the organization and the holding of the competitions on a high level.