According to
Azertac
, Ilham Aliyev met with the president of the International Canoe Federation, José Perurena López and the president of the European Canoe Association, Albert Woods on November 23.
During their meeting, José Perurena López noted the importance of holding the next congress of the International Canoe Federation in Azerbaijan, and that representatives of more than 90 countries would be present at the event. López acknowledged that the needed conditions and sporting establishments were present in Azerbaijan, and praised the country’s past experiences of hosting international events.
While hosting the European Games in 2015, many media outlets, both local and international, noted the presence of corrupt and dubious practices during the games in Azerbaijan. The heavy involvement of the Aliyev family itself in the organization of the games was closely scrutinized. The First Lady herself, Mehriban Aliyev, chaired the Games’ organizing committee.
Many European leaders boycotted the games in a sign of protest against the degradation of human rights in Azerbaijan. Only several officials from Eastern Europe were present at the Games during the opening ceremony.
