The official opening ceremony of the 2017 CEV Volleyball European Championship – Women has today been held in Baku.

The ceremony started with a concert program. The anthem of the European Volleyball Confederation was played.

Then first deputy Prime Minister, chairman of the Organizing Committee of the championship Yagub Eyyubov addressed the event.

“Today, another sports holiday has come to Azerbaijan. The strongest women’s Volleyball teams in Europe have gathered in the ancient and beautiful city of Baku,” he said. “I sincerely welcome all the guests who came to Baku to participate in the final stage of the European Championship.”

Mr Eyyubov recalled Azerbaijan’s increasingly prominent role on the international stage, also when it comes to the organisation of major sporting events. “Today, Azerbaijan is capable of holding every event, including sporting events at a high level. As a proof of that, we can mention the inaugural European Games held in Baku in 2015 and the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games held in May of this year under the leadership of the Organising Committee led by the First Vice President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva.”

He referred, inter alia, to the World Chess Olympiad, the Formula 1 Grand Prix, the World and European Championships in several sports and hundreds of other international tournaments successfully held in Azerbaijan’s vibrant and cosmopolite capital. “The final game of the 2019 UEFA Europa League and group matches of the 2020 UEFA European Championship will be the continuation of this spectacular series,” he stressed.

“Of course, all of this is the result of the forward-thinking policy established by our national leader Heydar Aliyev. With the direct personal initiative of our State President and the President of the National Olympic Committee, Mr Ilham Aliyev, our achievements have increased dramatically thanks to the special attention and care paid to athletes with the opening and putting into operation of more than 40 Olympic complexes, and of spectacular facilities in all regions of Azerbaijan,” he said.

As far as the 2017 women’s EuroVolley is concerned, Mr Eyyubov singled out that this is a truly historic event for the country as a whole. “We express our deepest gratitude to the leadership of the European Volleyball Confederation for the decision to grant the organisation of this event to Azerbaijan and Georgia and we would like to express our confidence that this championship will be held in conformance with world-class standards and at the highest level.”

“We hope that the national team of Azerbaijan will also be successful in this championship. Azerbaijan’s Volleyball is 90 years old. During these years, thanks to the care and attention of our state, Azerbaijan’s Volleyball has gone a great way to rise, and our women's club teams have been winners and medallists of the CEV Champions League, Top Teams Cup, Challenge Cup and CEV Cup,” he continued. “Our national team has repeatedly participated in qualifying tournaments for the Olympic Games and in 2016, Azerbaijan national team was the winner of the European League. We hope that these achievements will continue in this championship,” he concluded.

The 2017 CEV Volleyball European Championship – Women is being held in Azerbaijan and Georgia.

AZERTAC