The aim of the Azerbaijan Handball Federation (AHF) is to form teams in the southern region and send them to international competitions.
This was stated by Vidadi Aliyev, the newly appointed coordinator of the AHF for the southern region.
He said that talks were held with teachers in Lankaran and other regions.
"In the southern zone, especially in Lankaran, children have no understanding of handball at all. It is true that there used to be teams here. But they operated during the USSR period. For this reason, there was interest in handball in schools. After the 90s, there was no handball at all in the southern zone, except for Jalilabad. Our goal is to attract children to handball starting from those born in 2012-2013, form a team and send them to international competitions. I have just arrived in Lankaran. The Ministry of Youth and Sports has given us almost all the Olympic Complexes in the southern region. In Soviet times, handball lessons were taught in physical education academies. I also gathered teachers who had an understanding of handball, former athletes, and talked to them. We exchanged ideas about future plans and the work we want to see. I personally went to schools in some districts. Fortunately, the employees of the regional sports departments also supported me. Processes have already been started in Astara, Lankaran and other regions to implement the plans," he said in an interview with "Report".
The specialist also talked about future plans:
"We are also looking at the halls in the regions. I give assignments to teachers. We provide the halls with equipment. All necessary equipment, starting from balls, has been brought on my personal initiative. I live in Lankaran and travel to all regions. The heads of the Olympic Complexes do not object either. The number of supporters is increasing. The President has an order to develop sports in the regions. Of course, the Azerbaijan Handball Federation also provides its support. A team will be formed in Lankaran after a while. We are also planning to hold inter-school competitions. Teachers will also be supported by the federation. We also want to form handball groups and hold the Lankaran championship. Each district will be represented in the competition with its own team. I am a physical education and sports figure myself. I have been involved in handball for a long time. Our goal is to develop handball in the southern region and train handball players for the Azerbaijani national team."
He also emphasized that seminars will be organized for teachers:
"I will personally go to the regions and carry out work in this direction. There are teachers who really want to work. I have held meetings in more than 10 schools in Lankaran alone. We will give teachers a rule book. We will try to make our plans come true. I would like to express my gratitude to the heads of the Olympic Complexes and everyone who supports us."
It should be noted that V. Aliyev was appointed as the coordinator of the AHF for the southern region a few days ago.