What Will the CIS Games Bring to Azerbaijan?

"Next year, Azerbaijan will host another major sporting event—the CIS Games. The third CIS Games will take place in Azerbaijan," President Ilham Aliyev announced on December 24 during a ceremony dedicated to summarizing the sports achievements of 2024.

The president highlighted that the main events will be held in the city of Ganja. "A new stadium is under construction in Ganja and must be completed before the Games. Additionally, a few months ago, the country's large Olympic Sports Complex was inaugurated in Ganja. The third CIS Games are expected to host 7,000 athletes. By comparison, the 2015 European Games involved 5,000 to 5,500 participants," Aliyev said.

He further stated that accommodations and facilities must be prepared for 7,000 participants and their teams and staff, with relevant directives already issued. "Starting next year, extensive renovation and restoration work will be carried out in Ganja. The city infrastructure will be upgraded, transportation will be completely renewed, historical buildings will be restored, and other infrastructure projects will be implemented."

The first European Games, held in Baku in 2015, had an officially reported budget of 1.174 billion manats, including unplanned expenses. However, unofficial sources claim the actual cost was higher. For the Islamic Solidarity Games in 2017, a budget of $100 million was announced. Since 2016, Azerbaijan has also hosted Formula 1 races, which have cost millions of manats annually, though detailed figures remain undisclosed.

In 2023, the state budget allocated 208.9 million manats for international and domestic events of this nature, with a projected increase to 234.7 million manats in 2024.

Officials often emphasize that international sporting events attract significant numbers of tourists and bring millions in revenue. However, some experts argue that the revenue is far less than the costs incurred.

Aqil Abbas, a member of Azerbaijan’s parliament, told Turan that interest in sports is universal, making hosting such events beneficial. "These competitions are important for Azerbaijan's promotion. It’s no different from the European Games or Islamic Solidarity Games we hosted earlier. I fully support it," Abbas said, adding that these events help attract tourists, boost local tourism, and serve as an advertisement for the country.

However, Natig Jafarli, an economist and leader of the Republican Alternative (REAL) Party, noted that the budget for the upcoming Games has not been disclosed. "The funds are part of the budget allocated for sports events next year. It would be better if the authorities provided additional information on this matter," he told AzadlıqRadiosu.

Jafarli argued that such events are primarily aimed at promoting tourism and have limited athletic value. "These games do not provide Olympic qualifications or significantly advance athletes in ranking tables. If the goal is to develop tourism, and parallel infrastructure projects in Ganja lead to broader changes, additional steps should follow. For instance, a strategy for developing tourism should include reopening land borders, which remain closed despite the pandemic's end," he said.

Jafarli criticized the lack of transparency in budget spending, calling it a "chronic issue" in Azerbaijan. "For years, major investment projects have faced significant transparency issues. Although these funds come from the state budget, citizens have the right to monitor and access information about expenditures. Hopefully, this time, state agencies will provide more details about their activities."

He acknowledged that the Games could create temporary jobs but expressed concerns about potential misuse of funds. Other experts also argued that such sporting events often enable corruption, with funds that could address social issues being diverted to non-essential expenditures.