Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has been re-elected head of the country’s National Olympic Committee ©Trend

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has been re-elected head of the country’s National Olympic Committee (NOC).

Participants at the NOC’s General Assembly in Baku voted unanimously for the 54-year-old, who has been at the helm since 1997.

"On behalf of the sports community, we congratulate the President, who is a great friend and supporter of athletes," Azad Rahimov, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Youth and Sports, told APASport.

"The President gave an impetus to our success today."

Aliyev became NOC President a year after Azerbaijan made its Olympic debut at Atlanta 1996, having gained its independence following the break-up of the Soviet Union.

He became President of Azerbaijan in October 2003, following his father Heydar Aliyev, who stepped down after falling ill.

Azerbaijan's Frist Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, who chaired the Organising Committee for last year's inaugural European Games in Baku, has been re-elected to the country's NOC's Executive Committee ©Getty Images
Azerbaijan's Frist Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, who chaired the Organising Committee for last year's inaugural European Games in Baku, has been re-elected to the country's NOC's Executive Committee ©Getty Images

Aliyev and his wife Mehriban Aliyeva have also been re-elected members of the NOC’s Executive Committee.  

Aliyeva chaired the Organising Committee for last year's inaugural European Games in Baku.

In January, she was awarded the European Olympic Committees Order of Merit in recognition of her "contribution to sport and the Olympic Movement".

She also received a special Baku 2015 commemorative gold medal.

Azerbaijan won 18 Olympic medals at Rio 2016 in August.

Their haul comprised one gold, seven silvers and 10 bronze medals.

Radik Isayev was their sole gold medallist, claiming the men's taekwondo over 80 kilograms crown.