A ceremony to mark the opening of Gabala - Sports Capital 2025 was held with the joint organization of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Gabala District Executive Power.
The event, held at the Gabala Olympic Sports Complex, began with a parade of federation members from various sports, Idman.biz reports.
Following a one-minute silence in memory of martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and those who perished in the crash of the Embraer 190 passenger plane of Azerbaijan Airlines, the national anthem was played.
In her speech, Saida Abbasova, Deputy Head of the Guba District Executive Power, spoke about the achievements of Guba in 2024. She noted that various sports events were organized in the region, and the football and basketball clubs were established: "2024 was a remarkable year for Guba, marked by significant sports events, with serious work done to promote sports. I wish Gabala success in carrying out this honorable and responsible task."
In her address, Deputy Head of Gabala District Executive Power, Ataya Osmanova, emphasized that they would leverage Guba’s experience: "I congratulate our youth on the occasion of this event. Gabala is not only recognized as a tourism center in Azerbaijan but also internationally. For 2025, Gabala has been selected as the Youth Capital among the CIS countries. We believe Gabala will successfully host the upcoming sports events."
Minister of Youth and Sports, Farid Gayibov, congratulated the participants of the sports festival: "It’s truly heartwarming to see so many children here today. This is the result of the successful work of the relevant organizations, under the guidance of our President. I am confident that the children we see today will achieve great success in the future."
After the official speeches, Minister Gayibov handed over the symbolic key to the Sports Capital to Ataya Osmanova.
Next, the mascot of Gabala - Sports Capital 2025, Marshal, was introduced to the audience.
Sports ambassadors – national artistic gymnastics coach Aliya Pashayeva, Azerbaijan national football team scout Ilgar Gurbanov, former judoka Orkhan Safarov, and national sports coach Khayyam Orujov also made speeches.
The artistic part of the event featured music performances by young singer Mardan Kazimov.
Gabala was selected as Azerbaijan’s sports capital for 2025 during a vote at the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ Collegium meeting on December 7, 2023. The goal of selecting a "Sports Capital" is to enhance and develop interest in sports in the regions and promote a healthy lifestyle.
Aytaj Sahed
Idman.biz
