Surprise in Baku. On the 11th day of the European Games, Tuesday June 23, the Minister of Sports of Azerbaijan, Azad Rahimov, mentioned the 2024 Olympic Games. In itself, the news is already an event. But the content of the Azerbaijani leader's remarks is even more surprising. Azad Rahimov dared a cautious “yes but” to the idea of the country’s candidacy. Above all, he sent the ball into the IOC’s court.
Azad Rahimov is not in the habit of using wooden language. The day after the opening, Saturday June 13, he admitted that the very successful opening show had cost a whopping 100 million manats, or around 85 million euros.
On Tuesday June 23, the Minister of Sports continued in the same tone, frank and direct, to discuss a candidacy for Baku for the 2024 Games. “The IOC's demands today are extremely high,” he explained. It would be almost impossible to organize an Olympic Games in our capital using the European Games facilities. The government should make significant financial efforts to bring them into compliance with Olympic standards. »
Azad Rahimov takes two examples: the Olympic stadium and the aquatic center. For the first, Baku thought big, with a 68.000-seat enclosure. “But we would need 80.000 for the ceremonies and athletics at the Olympics, which is considerable,” he explained. Same problem with the aquatic center, brand new equipment, used for the first time at the European Games. “For the Olympics, the IOC's demands are very high on such a competition site, with no guarantee of ensuring a legacy after the end of the Olympics. »
The Minister of Sports is playing it straight: he suggests that a country like Azerbaijan could only enter the race for the Games today if the IOC makes its demands more “realistic”. In short, ok to submit a third application, after 2016 and 2020, but on the condition that the resolutions of Agenda 2020 are actually implemented.
Azad Rahimov's position may come as a surprise. Azerbaijan has never hidden the fact that the European Games could serve as a springboard for Baku to launch into the battle for the Olympics. Since the start of the continental event, last Friday June 12, there have been countless voices assuring that the country had proven with these European Games its ability to aim higher. CK Wu, President of AIBA, member of the IOC Executive Board, assured FrancsJeux last week. He is not the only one.
According to certain sources close to the matter, the Azerbaijani authorities were toying with the project of announcing their candidacy at the very start of the European Games, taking advantage of the presence in Baku of a large number of IOC members. They gave it up, after being informed that such a maneuver could be deemed contrary to the rules. It is also said, in the capital of Azerbaijan, that the announcement could take place this Sunday, June 28, on the last day of the European Games.
The words of the Minister of Sports now suggest that Baku could wait before launching. In any case, the final decision will be made by Ilham Alyiev, the head of state and president of the National Olympic Committee.
