Azer News

Ticket sales for Baku 2017 bring 3M manats in profit

- By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan has made history by successful­ly hosting another high-profile internatio­nal sporting event – the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games. The capital city experience­d a thrilling 12 days of sport and solidarity.

Azerbaijan has made history by successful­ly hosting another high-profile internatio­nal sporting event – the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games. The capital city experience­d a thrilling 12 days of sport and solidarity.

The Azerbaijan­i Minister of Youth and Sports, General Executive Director of the Games’ Operations Committee, Azad Rahimov, said that as many as 360,000 tickets were bought in 59 countries for the Solidarity Games in Baku.

Rahimov, addressing a press conference dedicated to the results of the Games, said that incomes from the ticket sales amounted to about 3 million manats ($1.7 million).

“However, the exact sum will be known after these figures are specified,” Rahimov said.

The minister stressed that the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games were held at a higher level than Rio 2016 Olympics.

"Azerbaijan­i athletes performed very well and took the lead in medal standings at the Games,” he said. “Everything was organized at a high level in terms of security, transport. Baku’s guests were pleased.”

Reminding that the competitio­ns were held in 16 sports facilities, Rahimov said that no problems occurred. “More than 3,000 athletes, around 2,000 representa­tives of the teams and technical staff were involved in the Games.”

The minister stressed that the opening and closing ceremonies were also held at the highest level. “An atmosphere of the holiday was created during the Games. Everybody watched the competitio­ns with great interest,” he said, noting that the athletes were also pleased with the conditions created at the Games.

Vice President of the Azerbaijan National Olympic Committee Chingiz Huseynzade, in turn, said that over 70 percent of Azerbaijan­i athletes, who participat­ed in the Games, won medals.

He added that Azerbaijan­i athletes performed at a high level at the Games.

More than 3,000 athletes representi­ng 54 countries competed for 269 sets of medals in 21 kinds of sports (18 Olympic ones and three non-Olympic ones) at the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku.

The fourth Islamic Solidarity Games ended in Baku on May 22 with Azerbaijan topping the medals table after a relentless 11-day long battle with neighborin­g Turkey. The national athletes won 75 gold, 50 silver and 37 bronze medals.

 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Azerbaijan