Local media
World champion: We have been waiting for news of victory for 27 years (Report)
“I was born in Mughanli village of Gubadli district in 1980. I left the village on August 31, 1993”, said Niyamaddin Pashayev, Vice President of the Azerbaijan Taekwondo Federation and world champion, as he spoke about the liberation of Gubadli city from the Armenian occupation.
The veteran athlete from Mughanli village said that it is difficult to express his feelings in words: “We have been living with this longing for 27 years, we have been waiting for the news of victory. This happiness has already been given to us. Therefore, on behalf of myself and my family, I thank Mr. Commander-in-Chief. I kiss the hands of our soldiers and officers who are fighting for the liberation of the land. May Allah protect our state. Our brave soldiers have done great things in a short time. A number of our cities and villages have been liberated from occupation. My greatest joy will be the day when our flag will be waved and our anthem will be played in Shusha.”
Pashayev said that he first saw the news on the official Twitter page of President Ilham Aliyev: “Mr. President first announced that four villages of Gubadli district were liberated from occupation. One of them is the village of Mughanli, where I was born. Every day from morning to evening, we monitor social networks, TV channels, and the press. When the news came out, my phone didn't stop for an hour. Congratulatory messages and calls came. There was a moment of silence. I couldn't say anything because of my joy, I just sat and waited. It's impossible to express these feelings in words.”
Pashayev is a one-time world taekwondo world champion and two-time European champion.