Members of our national team gaining bronze medals at freestyle wrestling World Cup competitions taking place in Kirmanshakh city of Islamic Republic of Iran returned home.

At Heydar Aliyev International Airport the head coach of the national team Firdovsi Umudov answered media representatives questions and stated that gaining win is first of all win of the country:

“Our wrestlers indeed led a fight till the very end and gained grandiose win. As you know we compete in semi group “A” with very strong rivals like Russia, USA and Georgia. After beating Russia and Georgia teams we faced with USA team. Before the competitions we had planned to get in first three. With passing bout we hoped to gain gold medals. But in the match with USA in 74 kg we faced with referees unfairness. 1 minute till the end of the bout technical defeat giving to Murad Suleymanov seriously affected to the final result.

Since appointed me as a head coach and coaches’ corps World Cup competitions were first serious competition in 2017. This result was gained by our combined efforts. This achievement is the result of care and attention to our team by the president of Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation Mr.Fazil Mammadov and 1^st vice-president Namig Aliyev”.

Head coach saying that young and having less experience wrestlers were mostly form the squad of the national team particularly stressed the fact they led a fight till the very end and demonstrated persistence.

“One of the tasks put upon us by our country and Federation governance is to form reserve forces for Tokio-2020. With this purpose together with skilled wrestlers like Haji Aliyev, Jabrayil Hasanov, Georgi Edisherashvili, Sharif Sharifov and Jamaladdin Magomedov we entered in the squad young athletes Mahir Amiraslanov, Ali Rahimzade, Magomed Muslumov, David Suynuchkhanov, Murad Suleymanov, Nurmagomed Hajiyev and Aslanbek Alborov. And they managed to show them from good side. Ali Rahimzade competiong in 61 kg in the match with Russia beat Olympic champion Jamal Otarsultanov. In the match with USA he lost only 1 point to world champion – 11-12. There were some mistakes and mainly inexperience which we will work in the future at. Aslanbek Alborov competing in 97 kg in the match with USA beat Rio Olympic Games champion Kyle Snyder. I congratulate each of our fighters and express my gratitude them for demonstrating real character”.

Commenting problem with the flag brining to the mat during the competition the head coach of the national team said that it’s a duty of all of us to take care about the flag.    

“The flag is our life, our blood. This flag was protected by spilling blood by our forefathers and martyrs. So each of us have to love and protect the flag. In case anyone independently on the state, power, population, territory size make disrespect to our country and our flag we have to voice a protest. During the World Cup in the first match organizers brought out our flat by mistake. Seeing this we voiced our protest. We delivered them in case the error won’t be corrected we don’t take the next bout. Just in case we brought glorious Azerbaijan flag to the competition hall and presented it to organizers.

Today we demonstrated to all world that nobody will be able to disdain us. We love our country and our people. On behalf of me and the team I would like to state that we close unite around our president Mr.Ilham Aliyev. We have one country and one flag. Each of us should be very careful in order to prevent such provocation might be occurred”.

Touching the issue that 2017 year is announced in our country “Islamic Solidarity year” by the president of Azerbaijan Mr.Ilham Aliyev Firdovsi Umudov said that there a lot of works to be done further:
 
“Grandiose competitions like IV Islamic Solidarity Games are waiting for us ahead. Our fixture plan is quite tense and tight. We will try to come with expectations of our country, Federation governance and wrestlers lovers and get better results. Together with our young and perspective team we will get more achievements. There are big targets are waiting for us and we will do our best to get these targets”.