The FINANCIAL — SOCAR is continuing its general sponsorship of the Georgian Football Federation.
The agreement of general sponsorship has already been renewed between the Director of SOCAR Representation in Georgia Mahir Mammedov and President of the Georgian Football Federation Zviad Sichinava.
“The company does its best to play an important in the Georgian economy,” said Mahir Mammedov, Director of SOCAR Representation in Georgia. “I would point out that the governments of Georgia and Azerbaijan not only cooperate but are friends in all spheres. It concerns the two presidents as well as the sportsmen of Georgia and Azerbaijan and the leaders of sports structures. This situation enables us to expand our cooperation in different directions. Our company cooperates with representatives of recreational as well as intellectual sports and there are more new projects to come,” he added.
“The company will make its contribution to develop Georgian football. The country’s football has always been distinguished by its originality and in past years it was successful on the international arena. This is why the development and support of Georgian football will be a priority of our company and we welcome the opportunity to commit to another good deed,” he added.
Based on the new agreement SOCAR will sponsor a solution of infrastructure issues. Under this sponsorship SOCAR pledged to participate actively in the fulfilment of infrastructural projects. New grounds will be laid and construction projects will be implemented on football fields and sports bases in different regions of Georgia. In case of need, the money will be allocated for other directions necessary for development in this sphere.
“The Georgian Football Federation was negotiating with different companies for sponsorship in 2010 but could not find a reliable partner. I am glad that the agreement with SOCAR took place,” said Zviad Sichinava, President of the Georgian Football Federation. “Football supporters knew what the condition was like before. Young footballers did not have the essential conditions for training, and taking a shower was a luxury. With the help of SOCAR and the state these problems were gradually solved. Two new football pitches will be arranged, one of them in Eastern Georgia and the other one in Western Georgia,” he added.
“Not only the national team, but every Georgian footballer is now given the opportunity to play on a better football pitch and reveal themselves,” said Temur Ketsbaia, Head Coach of the Georgian national team. “Within the framework of this cooperation, two more European standard pitches will be made. I hope that this cooperation will be continued in the future and that other companies will support Georgian sport as well,” he added.
Last year in support of SOCAR, a new pitch according to UEFA standards was made at the technical base of national team Basa and at the stadium named after Mikheil Meskhi. Within the sponsorship agreement, the Football Federation purchased the necessary equipment for looking after the playing field.
SOCAR turned out to be productive and successful in Georgian football. The cooperation between SOCAR and the Georgian Football Federation started on March 26, 2011, after winning the qualifying match of the European championship over the Croatian national team. Last year Georgian U-17 and U-19 teams went through the Elite-round of the European Championship which is a big success and achievement.
“The agreement between SOCAR and Georgian Football Federation is very important for support of the national team and for developing Georgian sport,” said Lado Vardzelashvili, Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs. “SOCAR supports not only football but other sorts of sport, for which I thank the company deeply,” he added.
Besides football, SOCAR support chess as well. Cooperation between the company and the Georgian Chess Federation started in 2008 and continues still. The general sponsorship agreement between the two organizations was first signed in 2009. During this period the company has allocated up to 850,000 GEL on the direction.
SOCAR Energy Georgia was the general sponsor of the European Youth Championship in 2010, in Batumi; the Women’s Individual European Championship in 2011, in Tbilisi; the Super Tournament of Women of the Professional Chess Association in 2012, Tbilisi.
The general sponsorship agreement was signed for the fourth time between SOCAR and the Georgian Chess Federation on February 10, 2012. Based on the agreement SOCAR will sponsor the processes in the Georgian chess sphere for one more year. The amount envisaged in the agreement will be spent for the arrangement of international chess tournaments and the participation of Georgian chess players in international tournaments in other countries. That will greatly help their professional growth.
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