Baku Azerbaijan 2016

[Megaforce]

Baku Azerbaijan has recently announced the intention to bid on the Olympics of 2016 and it's an intriguing choice.

For one it's both European and Asian, it's at the crossroads so two continents would be simultaneously pleased with the choice.

Two, it's time for a former Soviet Republic to host the games, as it would be a good chance to know these places now that the Russian bear has withdrawn.

Of all the former Soviet republics, Azerbaijan is the one with the fastest growing economy. Much of its infrastructure is currently being rebuilt so adjustments wouldn't be hard to make, facilities will be new and clean and state of the art.

The country is full of Shiite Muslims but incredibly secular, in fact the people there drink vodka and nobody wears religious clothing anywhere, in comparison Turkey looks like it's full of religious fanatics. Muslims who don't care at all about religion are a people that the world could really benefit from showcasing. It could be a positive influence on countries with less moderate track records.

The city of Baku is a great town, lovely old classical architecture everywhere, it has a spectacularly groovy park in the middle and a boardwalk right on the Caspian Sea.

It has a highly-cosmopolitan mix of people, many British oil workers, and foreigners already live there and the demographics of the country - unlike many former Soviet republics - is very young and dynamic. There's a lot of young people dressed up in fancy clothes talking on cell phones everywhere and the sports tradition is very good, particularly in those endeavors that require a bit of support, the Greco Roman wrestling and that sort of thing.

In short, I'd say that Azerbaijan would be a great choice for 2016. Hope it happens.

[Rob2012]

For one it's both European and Asian, it's at the crossroads so two continents would be simultaneously pleased with the choice.

Well, the IOC love that.

Maybe (and I'm just throwing ideas around here) they could have a logo with two rings crossing to show this, that's a sure fire winner!

[ejaycat]

There's a lot of young people dressed up in fancy clothes talking on cell phones everywhere

How annoying is THAT.

But anyway, I wouldn't mind if Baku won the Olympics, I've always wanted the summer Games to go to more exotic places. I'm hoping for a Rio 2016, but hey, if Baku gets it, more power to them.

But realistically, would Baku even make the shortlist?

[Rafa]

give me venues...give me sites...

[Ahmet]

in comparison Turkey looks like it's full of religious fanatics.

What a pathetic way to sell the olympics to your country.

For a start, Azerbaijan has borrowed and modeled all of it's Western and Secularization policies from Turkey.

Anyways, we are aware that Azerbaijan is modern and secularizied; however, that example alone wont help shed light for the members of the IOC.

[NYCD 2012]

If the olympics went to an ex-soviet state , they would go to Moscow , Kiev or Minsk first .

[DKArruda]

If the olympics went to an ex-soviet state , they would go to Moscow , Kiev or Minsk first .

So true. Besides being an exotic place, an olympic city has to have a fair share of international recognition, so cities like Moscow and Kiev have a WAY better chance than Baku. I can safely say a lot of people have never heard of Azerbaijan, let alone Baku...

[ghost1]

Minsk is no potion because of the current political situation (with EU a US having banned negotiations with Lukashenko), they will need years to improve their image. Moreover, they do not have the necessary infrastructure and the money to buid it. If the IOC had to choose between Baku and Minsk, at the present time, it would chose Baku. And as already mentioned, Azerbaijan is one of the fastest growing economies in the world, so even in the future Baku has better chances than Minsk

[ghost1]

Azerbaijan to bid for 2016 Olympics

BAKU, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Azerbaijan will bid for the 2016 Olympic Games, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said on Tuesday.

"Everyone in the world knows Azerbaijan as a sporting nation," Aliyev, who also heads the country's national Olympic committee (AOC), was quoted as saying by local media following the AOC's executive board meeting on Tuesday.

"We will do everything possible to succeed with our 2016 bid but if not, we hope to bid again in 2020."

Azerbaijan, the oil-rich country by the Caspian Sea, has never hosted a major world championship since gaining independence following the Soviet break-up at the end of 1991.

The United States, Italy, India, Japan, Brazil and Spain have also expressed an interest in staging the Summer Games in 2016, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) planning to choose the host city in 2009.

[Fox334]

"Everyone in the world knows Azerbaijan as a sporting nation"

Then how come a lot of peoples don't even know that Azerbaijan exist, or where it is. Honestly, I can't think of a sport in which Azerbaijan is good (Boxing? Wrestling?)

Actually, after a bit or research, Azerbaijan won 5 medals at Athens, 1 gold and 4 Bronzes in Boxing, Shooting and Wrestling.

[LinkParkFn]

And they had fought a brief war with Armenia in the 90s after independence from the USSR.

[Guardian]

And that, LinkParkFn, could be fuelled again. If I read my news lately, that Armenian "region" smack in the middle of Azeri territory was suggesting a referendum for independence for the area from Baku. That could spark another conflict for a region of the world that is relatively unstable already.

[Guardian]

Azerbaijan to bid for 2016 Olympics

BAKU, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Azerbaijan will bid for the 2016 Olympic Games, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said on Tuesday.

"Everyone in the world knows Azerbaijan as a sporting nation," Aliyev, who also heads the country's national Olympic committee (AOC), was quoted as saying by local media following the AOC's executive board meeting on Tuesday.

"We will do everything possible to succeed with our 2016 bid but if not, we hope to bid again in 2020."

Azerbaijan, the oil-rich country by the Caspian Sea, has never hosted a major world championship since gaining independence following the Soviet break-up at the end of 1991.

The United States, Italy, India, Japan, Brazil and Spain have also expressed an interest in staging the Summer Games in 2016, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) planning to choose the host city in 2009.

Wow. I wonder who copied who here? Below is the BBC article version of this one:

Link: BBC: Azerbaijan To Launch Olympics Bid

[ghost1]

Wow. I wonder who copied who here? Below is the BBC article version of this one:

Link: BBC: Azerbaijan To Launch Olympics Bid

I don't know. I just took it from Reuters

[nykfan845]

And then you hear a collective groan from the IOC.

[Faster]

And they had fought a brief war with Armenia in the 90s after independence from the USSR.

Brief? The war is still going on

[baron-pierreIV]

Brief? The war is still going on

So that's another thing copied from Turkey -- persecution of Armenians. SO I guess if we're not getting Istanbul next year, then Baku is there as the stand-in?

[Mikel]

So that's another thing copied from Turkey -- persecution of Armenians. SO I guess if we're not getting Istanbul next year, then Baku is there as the stand-in?

You can also add the Russo-Georgian Crisis, the Caucasus wars (Czeczhenya, etc) and Sochi (also in the region)...

PD. MINSK???!!! Are U Mad??

Another options: Riga, St. Petersburg, Almaty...

[Ahmet]

So that's another thing copied from Turkey -- persecution of Armenians. SO I guess if we're not getting Istanbul next year, then Baku is there as the stand-in?

You're the last one that should be talking about persecution here honey.

Anyways, go enlighten yourself about this conflict first before coming to draw such quick idiotic links.

[Scotguy]

I seriously doubt that Baku will make the shortlist never mind actually getting the games, the country should spend the bid money on its infrastructure first beofore even contemplating hosting an olympic games.

[olympicfan]

I'm a little surprised that nobody has mentioned this fact yet: one of it's neighbors is Iran! Security nightmare. I know that you can probably say the same thing about Pyongchang's neighbor to the North, but Iran and the middle East are a whole different ball game in my opinion.

I think its a pretty safe bet, they don't make it past the applicant stage. I'll give them credit for trying, but its just not going to happen.

[Mainad]

If they ask their Kazakh neighbours nicely,perhaps they will lend them Borat to lead the bid??

[Ahmet]

I'm a little surprised that nobody has mentioned this fact yet: one of it's neighbors is Iran! Security nightmare. I know that you can probably say the same thing about Pyongchang's neighbor to the North, but Iran and the middle East are a whole different ball game in my opinion.

I think its a pretty safe bet, they don't make it past the applicant stage. I'll give them credit for trying, but its just not going to happen.

I see where you're coming from; however, I really think that this should be the last concern one should use against Baku's bid at this moment. I hardly doubt that Iran and Azerbaijan have such hostile relations that Iran would be willing to ruin its stab at the games. I'm pretty sure that Baku is aware that security would be a prime concern it would need to look at and invest in; however, just because it happens to be situated close to Iran should not really be an argument used to sink its hopes to bid and host the games.

I mean, Istanbul is in Turkey which borders several nations that have seen various conflicts and hot spot activities taking place i.e. Iraq, Iran, Syria, Georgia etc; however, the members of the IOC haven't really used this factor to penalize Istanbul's past bids at the games. We unfortnately even have to combat terrorism at home; however, our long and strong determination to wipe all forms of terrorism from our nation may have convinced members of the IOC on how serious we are regarding the overall security of the games and everything else that's related to it.

Anyways, as much as I would like Baku to host the games - I really think that they're getting far ahead of themselves to consider it at this point. For a start, they aren't exactly rich despite the natural resources that they're starting to sell and use. Politically speaking, their government is corrupt and there are many other social problems they should make an initiative to resolve before thinking about the Olympics. Nonetheless, I guess it doesn't hurt to place a bid now and see the areas which they need to work on for the future.

[Lord David]

Baku's largest stadium is Tofig Bakhramov Stadium, which has a current capacity of 29 858 all-seater built in 1952.

They'd be needing to upggrade this to what, a 60,000 seater stadium minimum? That's sorta a big ask, though possible.

[baron-pierreIV]

Baku's largest stadium is Tofig Bakhramov Stadium, which has a current capacity of 29 858 all-seater built in 1952.

They'd be needing to upggrade this to what, a 60,000 seater stadium minimum? That's sorta a big ask, though possible.

Main Olympic stade minimum is 80,000. The 4 other football stadia are minimum 40,000 each.