Azerbaijan Orienteering Federation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sport | Orienteering |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Azerbaijan |
| Abbreviation | AOF |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Affiliation | IOF |
| Regional affiliation | Europe |
| Headquarters | Baku, Azerbaijan |
| President | Mirali Kazimov |
| Official website | |
| www | |
 | |
The Azerbaijan Orienteering Federation, generally known as Azerbaijani Orienteering, is the national sports governing body for the sport of orienteering in Azerbaijan.[1]
The federation was founded in 2011, and is a member of the IOF.[2]
Orienteering in Azerbaijan before the AOF
Orienteering, founded in Finland and recognized by the International Olympic Committee since 1977, was known in Azerbaijan mainly as a military sport. The development and expansion of this sport in Azerbaijan date back to the 1960s, when Azerbaijani athletes also took part in the championship held in the USSR in 1963.[1]
After the independence of Azerbaijan from the USSR, the first national championship in orienteering was held in 1995.[1]
After the founding of AOF
In 2011, the Azerbaijan Orienteering Federation (AOF) was established to develop the sport of orienteering in Azerbaijan, and to coordinate activities in this field at the local and international levels. Orienteering in Azerbaijan has entered a systematic development phase, since AOF recruited and trained national athletes to participate in international competitions. Furthermore, continuous efforts made by AOF have stimulated the improvement of the general environment in orienteering.[3]
Shortly after the federation began its activities, in October 2012, Nabran hosted the first-ever nationwide orienteering competition for the Presidents Cup in memory of Azerbaijan's national leader Heydar Aliyev.[4]