AZE.US
Azerbaijani handball has been left without its main training venue, prompting fresh questions about the management and financing of the sport.
Prominent Azerbaijani journalist Vugar Vugarli said ABU Arena had been “finally lost” to the country’s handball community and described the sport as being “more dead than alive.”
In a Facebook post, Vugarli addressed three questions to the leadership of the Azerbaijan Handball Federation.
He first asked how the federation had used the 3 million manats, about $1.76 million, that federation president Saleh Mammadov allegedly allocated every year for the development of handball since 2016.
The journalist also questioned why the federation stopped paying the monthly rent of 18,000 manats, about $10,600, for ABU Arena in February.
According to Vugarli, the arena was originally built for the federation under its former president, Heydar Babayev. The building was later sold, leaving Azerbaijani handball without its only proper indoor venue.
“The owners of the building have now simply thrown the handball players out onto the street,” Vugarli wrote.
His third question concerned the federation’s leadership. Vugarli asked why no election had been held for a new president if the current head had effectively abandoned the organization since February.
He called on federation vice president Orkhan Abbasov and secretary general Yusif Atakishiyev to publicly explain the situation.
Players Say They Have Been Without Proper Training for Months
The post triggered a strong response from athletes and members of Azerbaijan’s sports community.
One participant in the discussion said handball players had been left without a hall and full training conditions for five months.
She said athletes who had devoted years to the sport and represented Azerbaijan internationally were facing indifference from officials.
According to her account, active national team players were removed on the grounds of age, while athletes and coaches who raised concerns were told they could leave if they were unhappy.
She also alleged that the federation had cut costs on medical care, medication and sportswear, leaving some team members without complete equipment.
Other commenters compared the situation to the decline of field hockey in Azerbaijan and warned that volleyball could face similar problems.
Several participants called for elections at the federation, the restoration of a proper training base and a public accounting of how money allocated to handball had been spent.
The Azerbaijan Handball Federation has not publicly responded to the claims cited in Vugarli’s post. AZE.US has not independently verified the financial allegations.
AZE.US