All that Glitters. Azerbaijan and the Olympics

All that Glitters. Azerbaijan and the Olympics▻http://ift.tt/1k8T9Mw The new terminal is a shock of glass and gold. Screens flash images of Baku’s night time brilliance. A gold plated staircase leads down to the lobby, a serene space – a baggage belt moves round in the corner, a few people stand around with signs – the rest is empty. Outside the taxi drivers move impatiently – trying to negotiate this new arrangement and calculate the best spot to bag a fare. On the drive from the airport I spot more construction: an Olympic stadium on one side and an Olympic gymnasium on the other. Baku is preparing to host the first ever European Olympic games. During my time in the city I saw Olympic Committee delegations walking through the old town sporting shirts emblazoned with Baku 2015 1st European Games. The European Olympic games are a significant PR coup for Ilham Aliyev’s repressive regime, they had already made two unsuccessful bids for the 2016 and 2

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