The field of sports has developed rapidly in Azerbaijan, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said as he received in a video format Farid Gayibov due to his appointment as Minister of Youth and Sports, Report informs, citing AzerTag.
"Azerbaijan today is recognized worldwide as a country of sports. Our athletes show good results in international competitions. It is true that the Azerbaijani public has grown accustomed to victories in sports, and if we cannot achieve any results, of course, people get disappointed," the head of state said.
"However, we should all know that the level of competition in the field of sports is quite strong, and the results shown in the field of sports in recent years are certainly a source of pride. Our athletes have made us happy at world, European and other international competitions. Although we won fewer medals in the last Summer Olympics than in the Rio Olympics, I still think that our athletes showed good results. In terms of the number of medals, Azerbaijan ranks 33rd, 20th among European countries and fourth among Muslim countries. True, our athletes did not win a gold medal this time, but they came very close. But let me repeat that sport is about victories and defeats. In general, the results achieved in the field of sports are very positive. Our Paralympians made us very happy and won many medals, including many gold medals, showing great skill, professionalism and dedication. Of course, this is a very important event, and we are rightly proud of our Paralympians," President Ilham Aliyev added.