Chairman Named for Baku Olympic Bid

(ATR)Azerbaijan Deputy Prime MinisterYagub Eyyubov will chair the Baku 2020 bid committee.

Azerbaijani media reported Friday thatAzeri president Ilham Aliyevissued the presidential order tapping Eyyubov for the slot. He will be joined on the committee by a veritable who's who in Azerbaijani sport and government.

The Azerbaijan Olympic and Paralympic committees are represented by Aghajan Abiyev, secretary general of the National Olympic Committee, and Paralympic committee chief Ilgar Rahimov. NOC vice president Chingiz Huseynzade is also reported to be on the bid committee.

Baku's mayorHajibalaAbutalibov is a member of the committee, as are Azerbaijan's ministers of communication, culture, emergency situations, finance, foreign affairs, labor and sport.

Rovnag Abdullayev, President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan is also a member of the bid committee.

Four Olympic champions are part of the bid team.Farid Mansurov and Namig Abdullayev won golds in wrestling, Zemfira Meftahetdinova is a shooting gold medalist, and Elnur Mammadli is a gold medal winning judoka.

While President Aliyev is not on the committee, it seems unlikely he would not have great influence in its affairs. He is president of the Azerbaijani Olympic Committee.

Human rightswatchdogs have flagged Aliyev as an authoritarian. Freedom House noted in November of 2010 that he is exercising "increased authoritarian control over the country's institutions and political life."

Doha, Istanbul, Madrid, Rome and Tokyo, are the other 2020 bid cities. A host will be selected at the 2013 IOC Session in Buenos Aires.

Baku bid for the 2016 Olympics but was not shortlisted by the IOC.

Written by Ed Hula III.