Baku Increase 2020 Bid Chances With New Milestone

The 2020 Olympic bid by Baku took another big leap towards success by the news that Azerbaijan is to host the 2016 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.

The football tournament will allow the country to show of their efforts in establishing a competitive sports environment ahead of the Olympics in 2020, ampoule where they remain confident of securing the much coveted slot. Azerbaijan is one of the first countries to be awarded the honour of organising the expanded event, anabolics having been selected by European football’s governing body at its Executive Committee meeting last week.

The government has established Event Azerbaijan as a new department tasked with bringing sports and non-sport events to the country. Konul Nurullayeva, CEO of the Baku bid to host the 2020 Olympics, said: “There has been a steady and sustainable increase in the number and quality of international sports events hosted both in Baku and across the country in recent years. This has involved a range of sports, including parasports, demonstrating that Azerbaijan – and specifically Baku – is increasing its profile and credentials as a sporting event destination.”

She added: “Azerbaijan is developing a strategy during 2012 to attract many more international events to the country through the creation of Event Azerbaijan, which will be a discrete department in the Ministry of Youth and Sports. This latest announcement is a real boost.” Baku is currently making final preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup which takes place in September.

Elkhan Mammadov is secretary general of the Azerbaijan Football Federation (AFFA) and a member of the Baku 2020 Bid Committee, along with bearing responsibility for overseeing preparations for the U-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup. He added: “Football is one of the most popular sports in our country and we are tremendously proud to stage yet another football championship. It is very rewarding that we are entrusted with the organisation and hosting of this top European event – and it is another key step in our nationwide strategy, which is exemplified by the creation of Event Azerbaijan.”

Baku faces competition from Doha, Istanbul, Madrid and Tokyo to stage the 2020 Games with the International Olympic Committee due to vote on the host city in September 2013.