Conference promoting clean sports kicks off in Baku

An international scientific and practical conference, "The Path to the Olympic Championship: National and Global Prospects for Clean Sports," has kicked off in Baku.

The event is co-organized by the Azerbaijan National Anti-Doping Agency and the Azerbaijan State Academy of Physical Education and Sport with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Azernews reports.

Heads and employees of leading European national anti-doping agencies, professors from prestigious higher educational institutions, and representatives of the local sports community attended the conference.

The National Anthem of Azerbaijan was played at the beginning of the event.

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Minister of Youth and Sports Farid Gaibov noted that projects for the development of sports are being implemented jointly with federations and famous athletes.

The rector of the Azerbaijan State Academy of Physical Education and Sport, Fuad Hajiyev, said that all necessary measures will be taken to combat doping. He emphasised that the main goal is to promote clean sports among young people.

The rector stressed that every year, the university prepares about 90 master's students for Azerbaijani sports.

Thanking everyone who contributed to organising the conference, AMADA Executive Director Tahmina Taghizade said that the event focuses on the fight against doping.

"We have gathered here to do everything possible in the fight against doping. We can create fair conditions for sportsmen," she said.

Chairman of the AMADA Advisory Commission, two-time Paralympic champion Ilham Zakiyev, spoke about his path to sporting achievements, adding that sportsmen should always be results-oriented.

He outlined that the victory in Garabagh has further inspired Azerbaijani athletes to win competitions.

The conference discusses issues related to clean sport and the health of athletes within the framework of the recommendations of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

During the sessions at the conference, which will continue its work in Guba on February 23, topics such as the development of a culture of clean sport, the problems of doping among female athletes and the education of local athletes in the field of international anti-doping rules will be discussed.

The Azerbaijan National Anti-Doping Agency (AMADA) was established on December 23, 2016 as a national anti-doping organisation with the mission of fighting doping in sports.

The legal background covering the agency's mission is the Law "On the fight against the use of doping substances and methods in sport," signed and, respectively, implemented by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the last quarter of 2016.