One of cultural actions held within Olympic Movement was contest "Olympia, art and sport-2000" held in 1999 by Culture Commission of International Olympic Committee and UNESCO.

Regarding this National Olympic Committee adopted decision to hold national phase of contest in republic and to organize exhibition of art works on sport. Statute of national phase of contest was confirmed and prestigious jury was founded to fairly evaluate the works presented to contest.

50 works of art and sculpture were presented to national phase of contest. On November 5 1999 at "Exhibition hall" of ministry of culture in Icherisheher opening ceremony was held for works submitted to contest. Direction of Olympic Committee, members of Executive Committee, Youth, Sport and Tourism Minister Abulfaz Garayev, deputy minister of culture Adalet Veliyev, chair of Culture foundation, professor Kamal Abdullayev, chair of Artists Union Ferhad Khalilov, sculptor academician Omar Eldarov and other officials were present at the opening. Opening ceremony was covered on TV channels, a number of press bodies.

Exhibition was shown for the second time on December 28 of the same year at "Hyatt Regency" hotel during the Main assembly of Olympic Committee.

At the end of contest jury announced work "Wrestling method" of Zakir Mehdiyev first, "Before horse competition" of Natig Aliyev second, "Marksman" of Khanlar Ahmadov third in field of sculpture.

In field of graphics and coloring work "Unsuccessful jump" of Rasul Huseynov was granted first award, "Old sportsmen" of Arif Elesgerov second, "National wrestling" of Telman Abbasov third.

According to the statute, in the contest award totaled to $1000 was granted for I place, $500 for II, $350 for III, $100 for each of more 4 stimulating places.

In national phase of contest, works that took I-III places from both categories were sent to Lausanne to take part in international stage of contest. According to decision of jury in international stage sculpture work "Wrestling method" of Zakir Mehdiyev and indicator board "National wrestling" of Telman Abbasov took fourth place. These works were shown in exhibition held during Sydney Olympiad, after exhibition were included in collection of museum of International Olympic Committee in Lausanne. Culture Commission of International Olympic Committee published in original manner catalogue of the works presented to international phase of contest "Olympia, art and sport-2000". Six works of Azeri artists and sculptors were included in this catalogue.