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BBC: Anti-Azerbaijan campaign deriving from Islamaphobia

09 June 2015 13:21 (UTC +04:00)

Baku – APA. While investigating 1-2 billion amounts spent to Baku European Games, why BBC is silent about 15 billion expenditures in London Olympics?

Just couples of days are left for the inauguration of the first ever European Games. As a milestone event in the history of the “Old Continent” the European Games will bring together 6000 athletes from 50 different National Olympic Committees, Azerbaijan’s news portal Day.az reported.

Holding of European Games were subject of long debates and consequently, bearing in mind the contribution of continental level games to sport, the decision about this innovative Games was taken. The Baku Games also featured that 12 athletic disciplines out of 20 will provide license for Rio-2016 Summer Olympics. Azerbaijan once again demonstrated that hosting such high caliber the 1^st European Games and making it Europe wide festivity, Azerbaijan not only in energy, but in humanitarian field as well can be a potential partner of Europe.

Unfortunately, as the opening of the Games gets closer, with the intensification of attacks against Azerbaijan insincerity of European circles towards Azerbaijan becomes so obvious. As it could be suggested, if back in 2012 Germany was a locomotive against anti-Azerbaijan, now this vile mission is transferred to the United Kingdom. The recent groundless, unrealistic and biased publications in BBC, Guardian, Sunday Times and others and pressure campaign of Platform London organization against BP which acts as a sponsor of Baku Games, protest in front of Embassy of Azerbaijan in London are vivid examples of such activities.

As the biggest media corporation of the United Kingdom aggravation of BBC’s continuous negative attitude against Azerbaijan and severity of such smear campaign is observed. It is not accidental that BBC as assuming the role of Western and particularly UK media raises different absurd issues and sets agenda for other media outlets. One of the theses pursued by BBC is about as if Azerbaijani Government has spent the fantastic amount to holding of European Games. It is claimed that as if every event and work carries the purpose of propagating Azerbaijan and are directly related with these Games. BBC expresses concern that with the plummeting of oil price and decreasing the revenues how Azerbaijan will manage overcome all of these expenditures. BBC also claims that the Games will not bring any revenues. Interesting, why UK media so much cares about Azerbaijan? Why BBC is more interested in how Azerbaijan will manage the situation rather than the internal problems of the United Kingdom? Why BBC did not raise up the issue of 15 billion spending on London Olympics ahead of its Government in 2012 while the world was going through the economic crisis? May be London Olympics in terms of profitability has broken the world record? No. Because the profits gained from London Olympics were only about 52 million 800.000 pounds. Before the decision on holding the Olympics in London when submitting an application to the International Olympic Committee UK Government stated that expenditure of Government will be 4.2 billion pounds. Why BBC was not concerned about double exaggeration of price? Why BBC is also completely silent about the only 150 million expected revenues of Canada in return of 2.5 billion expenditures to XVII Paralympic Games? As regards with Azerbaijan, it has always put particular emphasis on development of sport infrastructure. Or BBC can provide an example of Olympic Games where profits outweigh the expenditures? When the state program on development of sport infrastructure was adopted in Azerbaijan, and Olympic objects were built and grandiose sport Olympic complex were constructed, holding of European Games mega event was not on the agenda. The decision on holding of European Games in Baku was adopted at the 41st General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees in Rome on December 8^th 2012. The date is crystal clear.

Decision on construction of three sport facilities out of five – Baku Olympic Stadium, National Gymnastics Arena and Baku Aqua Sport Palace were taken far before the Games. Thus, the construction of National Gymnastic Arena started on August 26^th 2009. The foundation of Baku Olympic Stadium was laid on July 6^th, 2011. The President Ilham Aliyev signed a Decree on construction of Baku Aqua Sports Palace on August 30^th, 2012. Obviously, claims of BBC on spending of large scale financial resources is nothing rather than groundless and biased propaganda. In general, the countries hosting the Olympics and continental level Games are not expecting to gain profits. The purpose is to promote the values of Olympics and sport, international standing of the country and to demonstrate the political and economic power. Meanwhile, holding such event is also a rich experience. Measuring by means of material values is an inherent character of BBC.

This year alongside with the European Games, Pan American Games will also be held. The Games will start on July 10^th. But BBC is reluctant to investigate this case. Toronto city of Canada will host Pan American Games and the budget of the event is 2.5 billion USD. 567 million USD was only spent to construction of athlete’s village. 190 million was spent to security, 70 million to transportation, 60 million to fire riding. Why BBC does not care to investigate spending of 60 million to fire riding? Let’s be back to the 2012 London Olympics. Experts suggest that despite the obvious shortcomings and dubious moments BBC again did not follow the “Fair” principle. At least, this media holding was obliged to investigate the claims of British NGOs about the fact that as actual expenditures were three times exceeding 15 billion initial budget.

Aforementioned facts once again prove that BBC is so groundless, cheap and lies based propaganda machine. This propaganda mouthpiece in essence has gained popularity with its policy Islamaphobic and anti-Turk policy. Adherence to advanced ideas, development and its strengthening and the capability to host global level events cannot but irritate the BBC and its owners. Guided by the values of Islamaphobia BBC normally presents Muslim States as backwrd, stricken with internal problems and conflicts. Azerbaijan as developing country with independent policy and as regional center is alien to the Western propaganda and mouthpieces as BBC. In 2012 presenting Ramin Hakimov in the forefront of oily pond now BBC has difficulty to absorb grandios parks and world class constructions in the very same place. By hosting the first ever European Games and defining its standards, and presenting the new image of dynamically developing Muslim Azerbaijan nips in the bud the efforts of Islamaphibic circles and their propoganda tools as BBC.