Ambassadors of Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games named [PHOTO]

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

Star athletes and ambassadors of the Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games have been announced.

Tunzala Aghayeva, actors Rafael Isgandarov and Joshgun Rahimov, philanthropist and television presenter Haji Nuran and winner of "Mugham Contest-2011" Miralam Miralamov become the star ambassadors of the Games.

Athlete ambassadors of Azerbaijan are Rasul Chunayev (Greco-Roman wrestling), Rustam Orujov (judo), Rafael Agayev (karate), Haji Aliyev (wrestling), Ilham Zekiyev (para judo), Radik Isayev (taekwondo), Kamran Shahsuvarly (boxing), Farida Azizova (taekwondo), Ilaha Gasimova (karate), Ruslan Abishov (football), Leyla Javadova (boxing), Elmar Gasimov (judo), Nazim Babayev (athletics) and Aynur Rzayeva (boxing).

The presentation ceremony took place within "Grassroots" program. Along with new athletes, foreign athletes also joined the program.

The Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games is an exciting multi-sport event uniting the Islamic world, which will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan from 12 – 22 May 2017.

Athletes from Islamic countries around the world will be representing their nations over 10 days of competition across 20 different sports which include 24 disciplines (Athletics and Para Athletics, Aquatics – Diving, Aquatics – Swimming, Aquatics – Water Polo, Basketball 3x3, Football, Gymnastics – Artistic, Gymnastics – Rhythmic, Wushu, Table Tennis, Handball, Judo and Blind Judo, Wrestling – Greco, Wrestling – Freestyle, Shooting, Tennis, Volleyball, Boxing, Zurkhaneh, Karate, Taekwondo and Weightlifting) in 16 state-of-the-art competition venues across Baku.

Azerbaijan’s capital city Baku was awarded the Games at the General Assembly of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF) in Jeddah in July 2013.

The Organizing Committee was set up by the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, honourable Ilham Aliyev and the leadership of the Organizing Committee has been assigned to First Lady of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva. The Azerbaijan Islamic Solidarity Games Operations Committee (AISGOC) will organize and run the Games in cooperation with the ISSF.