National sport games have an ancient history in Nakhchivan. Sport games demanding strength, dexterity and ability as the contests on wrestling, riding, sword and mace playing, javelin and arrow throwing, swimming, running, etc. have always been widespread in the region.

Furthermore, the history of professional sport dates back to the XIX century. From the 20’s of the XX century onwards, in Nakhchivan, physical training and sport getting a wide scope had become a part of social life. The Nakhchivan Physical Training Council was created in 1924, and until 1930 football, track and field athletics, racing, acrobatics, weight lifting, wrestling, volleyball contests and other sport games were carried out by this council. The championship of Azerbaijan on weight lifting was held in Nakhchivan in 1937. “Dynamo”, “Spartak”, “Burevestnik”, “Mahsul” sport societies, “Reserve Labor Forces” society (since 1998 Education Sport Centre) played great role in the development of physical training and sport in Nakhchivan. There were 5320 sportsmen and 61 sport installations in the autonomous republic in 1940.

In 1946 a sport school for youth for 250 person representing 9 kinds of sport was created, and in 1949 a children-youth sport school representing 10 sport kinds was established in Nakhchivan. In 1950 the number of men going in for sports was 15481 persons, the number of physical training personnel was 71 persons, the number of sport installations was 230 (1 stadium, 12 sport halls, 197 sport squares, 19 horse breeding logs, 10 coordinated halls, etc.).

In 1959 in the contests of Greece-Rome wrestling (traditional wrestling) of “Mahsul” society of the Republic of Azerbaijan the team of Nakhchivan occupied the first place. In 1961, 1849 sportsmen contested in the first sports’ festival of the women of the Nakhchivan AR fight sport and 319 sportsmen contested in the final rounds. In 1962 the volleyball team of Nakhchivan won the second place in the Azerbaijan championship and the football team took the third place.

The number of sport collectives and sportsmen in the Nakhchivan ASSR tremendously increased in the 1970-80’s. In 1970 the number of sportsmen reached 27390 persons (4230 women), and the number of sport installations – 322 (2 stadiums, 21 sport halls, 251 sport squares, etc.). That year there were 12 children-youth sport schools and 1 wrestling school.

Furthermore, in 1980 there were 32590 sportsmen. Sport festival among schoolchildren on different kinds of sport, contests for “Sevinj” football cup, “Falcon” and “Braves” military games, “Joy Starts”, “Draughts with Miracle”, “White Ball” and “Pioneer” contests on multi-athletics gained a traditional form. “Sevinj” football team of Nakhchivan occupied the first place in the contests of Azerbaijan carried out in Zagatala city among 13-14 aged children in 1973, and took the second place in All-Union championship of the “Leather Ball” held the same year in Tashkent.

The period after 1990’s forms an important stage in the history of physical culture and sport of the autonomous republic. In 2004, the number of men being engaged in sports and physical training was 30439 persons, and the number of sport installations reached 1327. The federation of 9 different types of sports was set up in 2002. The sport complex and stadium of “Dinamo” society (2001), 12.000-seat Nakhchivan AR stadium and administrative building were repaired thoroughly (2002). Furthermore, Nakhchivan Olympics Complex named after Ilham Aliyev (2002), Nakhchivan man-made small play-ground for hand-games (2003) and Swimming Center are open to public in the autonomous republic.

Furthermore, the Sport-Health Complex of Sharur district (2002), man-made small play-ground for hand-games (2002), 5000-seat stadium (2003), Children-Youth sport school in Julfa city (2002), 500-seat green-covered stadium (2005), Children-Youth Chess School (2005), Children-Youth Chess School in Shahbuz city, and 500-seat green-covered stadium in Sadarak district (2005) are open to public.

Chess, free-style wrestling and karate teams of Nakhchivan were awarded in the contests of Azerbaijan, also in the international tournaments. A graduate of the Nakhchivan chess school G.Ismayilov, gaining an awarded place in the championship of Azerbaijan in 1993, was included to the Azerbaijan team for taking part in the championship of Europe. A graduate of the same school Vugar Babayev won all his rivals in the international chess tournament held in Poland.

Children-Youth Chess School of Nakhchivan city honoured with the first place in the international contest held in May of 2002 and 2003. Besides, in June-July, 2003, the world chess championship among the youth was held in Nakhchivan. In this championship with the participation of 77 chess-players from 30 countries, 2 of 20 chess-players representing Azerbaijan were from Nakhchivan. The free-style wrestler A.Novruzov, a graduate of the wrestling school of Nakhchivan, was awarded with golden medal in the championship held among soldiers in Estonia. N.Gasimova, from Nakhchivan, has been playing in women volleyball team of Azerbaijan since 2003. Azerbaijan champions on boxing in 1998, I. Karimov and T.Seyidov, contended in the championship of Europe. I.Karimov also took part in the XXVI Olympic Games. In the world championship on kickboxing held in Moscow in 1998, A.Mammadov was awarded with silver medal. V.Zeynalov more than once won gold medals of championships of Europe and the world on power-lifting; in 1999 he was awarded with master of sports of the international grade. In 2001, R.Bagirov became the champion of Europe in that kind, renewing European record. J.Sayilov, a graduate of Boxing federation of Nakhchivan was honored with the “European champion” nomination among the youth in 2003.

In 2003, the Azerbaijan championship of volleyball of men was held in Nakhchivan. In April 2005, the final games of Azerbaijan cup of saloon-football were held in Nakhchivan city and the “Araz” team of Nakhchivan became the winner of the cup. 2006 is remarkable due to the successes as to individual sports. Sportsmen from Nakhchivan were successful in the country-wide contests of judo, sambo-wrestling and taekvando. Furthermore, in 2007, the sportsmen of the autonomous republic were awarded with 37 golden, 21 silver and 60 bronze medals in Azerbaijan, European and world championships.

2008 was also a successful year for the sportsmen of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. In total, these sportsmen won 78 medals, 32 of which were gold, in the Azerbaijan and international (Europe and the World) championships, tournaments and friendly competitions.

In general, sport activities are always of importance and being promoted in Nakhchivan AR. The sportsmen of the autonomous republic regularly take place in various championships and worthily pursue the honor of Azerbaijan.