The Vice-President of Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation, the head coach of Azerbaijan National team Tofig Heydarov, gave an interview to the official website of Federation and AAAF TV. He inform about the World Championship in Thailand, some recent events, and the preparation process for Islamic Games in Baku. We present you the interview:
– A few days ago, the World Youth Championship held in Bangkok, Thailand, ended. It is gratifying that we received good news at the end of the competition, that we got an Olympic Games license be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina next year. At first we would like to ask, how was the preparation for this competition taken, with what hopes were we sent out, and did these hopes confirm?
– The first goal that we set aside after the new composition of the Federation was chosen was to be able to win a license to the Youth Olympic Games. Along with this, the main priority plan is to improve our team and to perform very well in the Islamic Games. Therefore, we prepared for Thailand very seriously. Our main goal is to fall into the 17th strongest team line, because we could get the license in this case. We thought this when we set off to the competition. But the progress shown that we are a good team and our athletes coped with the weights that they did not lift in the trainings or the competitions. We even took part in the struggle for the first seven stages of giving the two licenses in recent days our team was in the 5th place. However, at the last moment, other teams were ahead of us and we were 9th. But this is not a small business either. It is the first such event in the history of weightlifting. Moreover, we are the third most powerful country in Europe after Russia and Turkey. A further point to note is the age of our athletes. Although the competition was held among 2000th year born, most members of our team were from 2001 or even 2002 . Our team was the youngest of the tournament. It was nice to have such a good result with such a team.
-We got good results in Thailand, it was successful performance. What are these achievements hoping for success in the next European and World Championships?
– Ahead of us are waiting for European Championship. There our team will compete for the medals. We will even try to pass Turkey and Russia on team account. İf we took into account to get into the top ten in the World Championship, athletes results were almost close to a medal. For instance, Elmaddin Huseynov had not 3 kg for medal. However, it will be better in Europe. We will aim to be at the highest place in the team account and 3-5 Continents Championship. Of course, the performance at the Olympic Games in Argentina is also very important. Our girl athletes have also chance to take part in the competition and we will achieve this performing well in the European Championship. We are hopeful for the games, because we have not only one, also a few athletes to win medals. They are expected good competition among themselves. We will try to achieve successful results.
– Along with the World Championship, the agenda invaded another issue, and we want you to know your idea. Unpleasant news spread about our team that did not take part in the European championship in Croatia. The media members wrote about this issue without making exact. In any case, your attitude and comments are also important as a Vice-President…
– For eight months, we have been doing a very wide range of work on our National Team. In the training base of National team, about 100 athletes, more than 20 coaches train here simultaneously. In the European Championship organized in Split, Croatia, the main delegation did not have a pre-planned participation, and we planned to give a chance to the reserve team. However, in recent days we have decided that both of them have access to the Islamic Games. Because we normally ordered two more athletes’ names. The reason for this is purely a tactic. Usually very little prior to the competition, either the competitors withdraw in some weight categories, or participate in the very weak results. For this reason, the coaching board decided that these athletes have to perform in the Islamic Games. We placed their name on the main board. Yes, tickets were booked in advance and preparations were made. However, one day ago, we declared that no one should go there. It was a simple disagreement. I want to add that, during the World Championship, we met with the President of International Weightlifting Federation and the representatives of Islamic Games Organization. According to Doping issues, Azerbaijan was almost in danger of not participating in these Games. Thanks God that is the decision of the meeting was decided in our favor and we will be able to participate in Islamic Games as a team. Therefore, we woke up feeling a little more confident. We try to protect our team. Moreover, there is a big deal going on with the doping in the team. Some media organs noted that, as if national team “ran away” according to doping from Croatia. It is wrong, because it is not necessary. We, as the Federation, constantly apply to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and inform them about where our athletes are in accordance with the rules. To do this, we do not need to go to Croatia. WADA representatives can come to Baku in any time, can test the athletes in any place, they have the right to do so. WADA representatives can come to Baku in any time, can test the athletes in any place, they have the right to do so. We are doing internal inspections. For this reason, this is not a problem with doping. Some representative from our coaching staff and technical official had to take part in there. The head coach of Women National team would compete as an athlete in the Championship. We provided their participation, but in the other cases, we decided a total of 1 day ago, so the team should not go. As I pointed out, there was a simple disagreement. Islamic Games is our main goal. I hope that we expect that our team will be successful in these games as well. Everyone knows that training without doping is difficult. There are medicines so that people accept, “go out” in three days, so the athlete looks “clean” during the competition. But we are against it. We are fighting for this. We told the team that it would be never used. National Anti-Doping Agency restored its work. We will contact them once a month, sometimes twice, to check up analysis. We told the athletes that our police will investigate you, not Croatia (laughs). The fight against doping is more complicated than struggle against narcomania. We will benefit from the experience of Turkey in these matters. The president of BAAF and I met with their Federation’s president. He said with honor that, we are fighting successfully. In the first years, the Turkey not succeed in the competitions, they not took good places. Now they are the leaders of Europe, and performed well in the World Championship, won medals. They achieved this in raising the number of halls and revealing talented athletes. This is our way. However, our results will see more quickly, because we have done a great deal of work as a federation. Today someone can say that, for example, the results of Fugan Aliyev, or the 7th or 8th place of the others, are not the best result. But this is not true. Because these results are not easily achieved. 8-10 years ago, the training hall was built in Piran, Lerik, Shamakhi, the coaches were financed, competitions were organized, millions were spent for this and because of this, and we came out result. Some say, “If you cannot win medals, it is not a success.” However, we do not think so. As a Federation, the results of these athletes will then be awarded with medals. Because, as a specialist, we know well what these results, the lifted weights are. So far, as it is known that the most comfortable to accept any medicine, to win medals quickly. But we will not go in such an easy way. We first aimed to win the medal, which cost 100 manat, by spending 100 thousand, but in a clean way.
– You talked in detail about Islamic Games, and noted your aim. A good preparation is needed for the result. What level is this process now?
– At high level. The National Team’s preparation has never been at such a high level. As I mentioned before, we increased the number of athletes and coaches. We are also trying to hold the Championships at a high level. The results are obvious. After each competition, we analyze them, and feel the growth. It is not vital for us to win medals in the International Competitions; we do not put any demanding request in front of the athletes. We just want every athlete to increase his or her best result a little. Perhaps, for example, in the Islamic Games, our any athletes will increase his\her personal results 5-10 kg, but will not get medal. We will evaluate this result as a medal, and award them. Because the main goal is the future of weightlifting. Some people make excuses that it is impossible to do this without doping. But we do not agree with this. The law was also adopted: an athlete and coach, who accept doping, will be prisoned. We also support this law. Even when I was in Thailand, where I talked to the relevant authorities so that they may help us to take the regular doping tests, training, checking in the usual times, and preventing from this.
– Works for improving the infrastructure of weightlifting. Repair-restoration work is being done, before the Novruz Holiday; the training hall was opened in Astara. Will you continue this process?
– It is intended that about 20 new halls will be repaired and built this year. The process started and successfully continues. As we mentioned that, last month, we opened new hall in Astara and our national team is in the training-camp, in Astara. That hall is good enough for the summer season. It is planning to open new hall in Lerik. Additionally, we started to build and repair the weightlifting halls in Baku. That is the way we want to achieve mass, which is our primary goal. For the Islamic Games, a lot of equipment will be brought to our country and after the competitions; we will share them among our training halls in the regions. Our goal is to reach the number of participants in the country’s competitions. Because the talents are revealed when they are mass.
