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Azad Rehimov: The matches with Armenia may take place only in neutral field

06 March 2007 12:15 (UTC +04:00)

Youth and Sports minister Azad Rehimov interviewed by APA-Sport agency

-Is there any latest news about the place of the matches between Azerbaijani and Armenian national squads?
-Azerbaijan has over one million refugees and displaced people. Their parents and relatives were killed by Armenians. We cannot guarantee that none of them will attack and beat Armenian players during the matches. We cannot raise the flag, or play the anthem of a country that has occupied 20 percent of our lands. This is our last decision. We donâ€™t want Azerbaijan-Armenia matches to take place neither in Baku nor in Yerevan. Azerbaijan has already expressed its position to the UEFA. The matches may take place only in neutral field.
- May any problem occur in a neutral field?
- It has been many times that the countries at war played in neutral fields. If the UEFA passes a decision about the matches to take place in Baku and Yerevan, we may receive technical 0-3 defeat. We are ready even to admit it. While being in Switzerland, I asked the UEFA vice-president and chief of the commission for place of Azerbaijan-Armenia match if any sanction will be imposed on Azerbaijan in case if Armenian players are injured by the fans. He said â€œyesâ€?. Then I asked what they want. I asked if they want us to line soldiers and police officers from airport to the hotel. It is not a football. How it is possible that our enemies arrive at the hotel with security. The negotiations are being carried out on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict between the countries. Any event in the stadium in Baku may negatively influence the negotiation process. May the UEFA officials ensure that such events will not ruin the talks? But we havenâ€™t received any answers yet.
- What do you think about the matches to be in a closed stadium?
- Not all the factors I stated concern the fans. I donâ€™t speak about raising Armenian flag and playing its national anthem. There are many refugee families settling in the hostels near the ministry. How can they be calm if they know Armenians are playing in the other side of the fence? The guaranty is a very serious issue.
- Why did you accept Armeniansâ€™ participation in the world wrestling championship to take place in September in Baku?
- Armenia has no strong wrestlers. They have included 5 wrestlers from Ossetia in their national team. They will attend the competition. As the wrestling is not very popular, no Armenian fan will come to Baku. Taking into consideration all these factors, we accepted that they come to Baku. It is possible to ensure security of few Armenian sportsmen in Sports Concert Complex.
- Armenians in Russian national team also refuse to come to Bakuâ€¦
- It is up to them. They had also refused to join world boxing cup. They refuse because they are afraid. Armenian champion Punik club refused to play against Azerbaijani Neftchi in the Unity Cup last year in Moscow. They said Russian Federation didnâ€™t guarantee their safety.
- You have proposed to play in Austria, Switzerland or Ukraine. Did you have any discussions with these countries?
- The AFFA addressed to the football federations of the UEFA member states when we decided to play in neutral fields. More than half of the countries gave positive answers. The AFFA chose three of them. I think this is a right choice.
- Youth and Sports Ministry has announced to build a stadium admitting 70.000 people if Azerbaijan will be allowed to host Olympiad. Have you choose place for the construction yet?
- There is a large field around the road to the airport. It is possible to build not only a stadium, but also a Olympian town there. There are also suitable places in Hovsan and Nobel Avenue. But for now the main objective is to pass to the second stage among those who intend to host 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
- What steps are you taking forward on the issue?
- We will present all necessary documents in time. We are working on this. The other ministries also assist us as well.
- Foreign players are being included in the national football team of Azerbaijan. How heartily can they play at the matches against Armenia?
- First of all, this is the selection and strategy of the head coach. As a ministry, we cannot interfere with the plans of the coach. I think Azerbaijani football needs foreign players now, because we need better games to attract people and to make football popular in Azerbaijan. It is a pity that local players cannot play well. It is good to pick foreign players in the first stage. Thy play, they win and people become interested and come to the stadium. It makes the children to be interested in this sport. You can see how well the national underage teams play. It serves to a gradual development of football. As for foreignersâ€™ playing heartily, of course, they wonâ€™t be as selfless as Azerbaijanis. But they are paid salary and they play well. I think they can achieve result.
- But there is no improvement in the national team though foreign players have included in thereâ€¦
- The most titled club of the world Real has only two qualified Spanish players-goalkeeper Iker Casilias and forward Raul Gonsales. But Real is famous as a Spanish club. Foreign players represent not their homeland but the team they are playing in.
- 3+2 legionary limit have been put in our clubs. How expedient is it to pick 6 foreigners in lineup?
- We have proposed the AFFA to discuss the limitation in the conference, because the appeals and complaints by the clubs should be reconsidered. It is in AFFAâ€™s authority to put the issue in discussion of football society. If clubs have proposals on the limitation of players, it is better to hold a conference. The issue will be reconsidered on April 26.
- There will be new elections to the AFFA at the end of the year. Considering the problem that occurred between former leadership of the federation and the ministry, how would you assess the activity of current leadership?
- Former leadership of the AFFA had problem with not only the ministry, but also with whole Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani football has been entrusted to the AFFA. They operate by analyzing their duties. I can assess them. Actually, they may be assessed according to the results. Personally, I think football needs ten years to be improved.
- As far as is known, state officials in the national federations will be replaced with a business people. Donâ€™t you think this process should be accelerated in order to ensure the freedom of the federations?
- I should state that our federations are free. If federation chairman is a state servant, it doesnâ€™t mean this organization is not free. Sport is not a dividend field in Azerbaijan. The players donâ€™t earn much salary. The channels spend a great amount to broadcast any international competition. But they donâ€™t earn enough money from the ads. Our sportsmen have no deal with foreign companies. Football is not a beneficial field in Azerbaijan. We spend a lot of money to this field to develop it. The players have problems which needs someone to solve them. Youth and Sport ministry does everything possible to solve financial problems. State officials can afford it. It is not any financial problems. Thatâ€™s why the various kinds of sports have been entrusted to state servants.
- When is the president of Fencing Federation elected?
- We have no candidate who can be engaged in the problems of fencing. The problems on this field should be raised in state, Parliament or some ministry. We havenâ€™t chosen anyone-sportsman, businessman or state servant. We have offered the post to the businessmen as well as state servants. Some have much work and some intend to be engaged in other fields.
- Freestyle wrestling and lawn hockey federations are led by the same person. Azerbaijan has opportunities to be represented in Olympic Games in both fields. Wonâ€™t it be difficult to focus on both fields?
- Minister of Taxes Fazil Mammedov is the president of both federations. But as we are informed, minister and his deputy have shared the fields. Thus Fazil Mammedov is engaged in freestyle wrestling and deputy minister Namig Aliyev is engaged in lawn hockey. Fazil Mammedov is de-jure the president of both federations. The law doesnâ€™t forbid this.
- The attention to non-Olympic games differs from Olympic ones. Is it connected with that non-Olympic games are not so popular?
- Karate is the second most popular sport after football in Azerbaijan as well as in the world. We cannot say that karate is out of the attention. 15 karate federations have united lately and formed a Council. The ministry has allocated money to the Council. The Council is to inform the ministry about honorary titles, categories of coaches, foreign passports, military service of the sportsmen and etc. Sambo was created during the former USSR period. It becomes less popular in the world. But we contribute to the Sambo Federation and sambo fighters. We also help chess players, kick boxers and powerlifters in Azerbaijan. Baku will host European bodybuilding championship in May. We focus on the organization of the competition and contribute to it. Of course, there is a difference in financial support to the Olympic games and non-Olympic games. Olympic sport games are of great importance for the country.
- Have you taken any measure against the injustice that Azeri chess player Teymour Radjabov faced in Mexico?
- Foreign Affairs Ministry invited Mexican ambassador to Turkey to the Azerbaijani embassy in the same country. The embassy expressed protest against the negligence by Patsuaro city structures to the robbery. Patsuaro Mayor received Azerbaijan Chess Federation vice-president Faig Hesenov and presented him a computer as compensation. He said the event is being investigated by the police and promised that the robbers will be found soon. Besides, we also sent a protest letter to the International Chess Federation. We have also suggested changing the date of competition which world famous grandmaster doesnâ€™t participate in.
- Sport has not been organized in high level in the Olympic Complexes in the regions. What measures are you going to take as an adequate?
- The sport is organized well in Olympic Complex in Ganja. It is never empty. There are always trainings and competitions. Guba Olympic Complex also often hosts competitions. The complex provides all opportunities for good training. Sheki Olympic Complex is being repaired now. The complex in Shamakhi is not so active. But we are working on it. I wish Mashtaga Olympic Complex to have competitions more often. Olympic Complex should be near the city. Children shouldnâ€™t get there by bus or any other vehicles. Some complexes in the regions are not so active because children there are interested in non-Olympic games. Some complexes suffer financial problems. We are engaged in this issue. There is a proposal to give a license to the complexes free of charge. This will give the ministry an opportunity to be aware of events in the regional complexes. The Olympic Complexes should be closely connected and cooperate with federations and ministry.
- There is one more problem that some children are not allowed to the complex because they donâ€™t afford it.
- We have passed decision that time and dates should be scheduled for national teams. The sportsmen should train in the complexes free of charge if they have competitions or trainings in the regions. Besides, poor children should train in the section of the complexes free of charge. To organize a two-hour training twice or three times a week wonâ€™t harm the activities of the complex. It wonâ€™t be damaged by sharing 6 or 8 hours for free trainings if the complex operates and earn all day long. /APA/