History
“Neftçi Sports Club” was established in 1937 as the “Neftçi” Voluntary Sports Society, later (in 1992) it continued its activity as the “Neftçi” Sports and Health Center, and currently operates under the name “Neftçi Sports Club.” This institution has historically played an important role in promoting and developing physical education and sports in our country. 84 years ago, “Neftçi Sports Club” was founded with the purpose of organizing the leisure time of oil workers efficiently, protecting their health, and involving them in mass sports activities. The main activity of the club consists of two directions. The first is to safeguard the health of employees working in oil, gas, and chemical industry enterprises and their family members, and to provide them with modern physical education and sports services. Mass physical education and sports events are regularly organized among oil workers, dedicated to significant historical and holiday dates of our republic, in various types such as mini-football, chess, checkers, backgammon, tourism, etc. The most massive of these is the traditional Spartakiad of oil, gas, and chemical industry workers held every September on the eve of the professional holiday of oil workers in 14 sports. More than 1,000 oil workers in about 40 teams participate in this prestigious competition. The national team of the oil and gas industry formed from the winners of this Spartakiad has become champion and prizewinner at the republican Spartakiad of trade unions and took 4th place overall and 1st place among Baku teams at the 5th International Games of CIS countries held in Baku in September 2005. It should be noted that since 1992 the club has been organizing the Spartakiad of oil and gas industry workers and this tradition continues to this day.
The other direction of activity of the “Neftçi Sports Club” is the training of top-level and high-performance professional athletes. Even decades ago, athletes who became famous not only in our republic but also in the former USSR, as well as in Europe and around the world, were trained here – including footballers, athletes, wrestlers, weightlifters, swimmers, boxers, volleyball players, and others. Famous footballers Anatoli Banishevsky, Alekper Mammadov, Igor Ponomaryov, legendary volleyball player Inna Ryskal, well-known wrestler Arif Niftullayev, fencer Suleyman Nabiyev, boxer Agajan Abiyev, tennis player Sergey Likhachov, track and field athlete Farziyya Ismayilova are all products of “Neftçi.”
During both the Soviet era and the years of independence, the representatives of the center have written glorious pages in the history of Azerbaijani sports. “Neftçi” athletes have also played a major role in Azerbaijan’s high achievements in the history of the Olympic Games. Among the winners and medalists of the Olympics in different years are athlete Yuri Konovalov, pentathlete Viktor Mineyev, volleyball players Inna Ryskal and Vera Lantratova, freestyle wrestlers Namig Abdullayev, Toghrul Asgarov, Greco-Roman wrestlers Farid Mansurov, Rovshan Bayramov, Vitali Rahimov, judokas Elnur Mammadli, Movlud Miraliyev, boxer Vugar Alekperov, shooter Irada Ashumova; winners and medalists of the Youth Summer Olympic Games: Greco-Roman wrestlers Murad Bazarov, Elman Mukhtarov, Jabbar Najafov, freestyle wrestler Igbal Hajiyev, judokas Natiq Gurbanli, Leyla Aliyeva, taekwondo athlete Said Guliyev, weightlifter Nijat Rahimov, boxer Salman Alizade, athlete Nazim Babayev, heroes of the Paralympic Games Gunduz Ismayilov, Ilham Zakiyev, Oleg Panyutin, Zeyniddin Billalov, Yuriy Gornak, Aleksandr Polishchuk, Yelena Taranova, Olukhan Musayev, Vugar Mehdiyev, Tofiq Mammadov, Karim Sardarov, Rza Osmanov, Ramin Ibrahimov, Afaq Sultanova, Vladimir Zayets, Huseyn Hasanov, Elchin Muradov are also products of the club.
In addition, we can proudly mention the names of champions and medalists of European and World Championships and Cups in various sports such as Elxan Mammadov, Mehman Azizov, Nijat Shikhalizade, Kifayat Gasimova, Elman Asgarov, Ruslan Khairov, Yelena Jemayeva, Teymur Rajabov, Eltaj Safarli, Vugar Hashimov, Vasif Durarbeyli, Janna Muradgizi, Ramil Guliyev, Aliya Garayeva, Intigam Zairov, Hasan Aliyev, Ilgar Mushkiyev, Rasul Chunayev, Haji Aliyev, Murad Bazarov, Elman Mukhtarov, Samir Mammadov, Murad Mammadov, Islam Abbasov, Orkhan Nuriyev, Ruhin Mikayilov, Mirjalal Hasanzade, Sabira Aliyeva and many other athletes.
Currently, within the structure of “Neftçi Sports Club” there are 4 sports facilities – Tofiq Ismayilov Olympic Training-Sports Complex, Garadagh Training-Sports Base, “Mashel” Sports Complex, and Sumgayit Training-Sports Hall. In these sports facilities, 81 professional coaches and instructors serve thousands of young people, teenagers, and oil workers in 23 types of sports.
The club establishes and maintains close cooperation with the National Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, local and international federations, and other sports organizations and institutions. The club’s achievements are increasing day by day. Thanks to its high accomplishments, the club was awarded the title of “Best Sports Society of the Year” by the Ministry of Youth and Sports for seven consecutive years – in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 – and has also received this title in several subsequent years. These indicators are clear evidence that “Neftçi Sports Club” is the leading sports society in the country.