Some 62 athletes in six sports disciplines will represent Cameroon at the fourth edition of the Islamic Solidarity Games taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The athletes comprising of men and women in football, weightlifting, wrestling and judo left the country on May 3 after a farewell ceremony at the Yaounde Multipurpose Sports Complex.

Speaking to the athletes during the ceremony, Bidoung Mkpatt, Minister of Sports and Physical Education, said the participation of Cameroon at the fourth Islamic Games in Baku depicts government’s interest in the valorisation of multiculturalism through sports.

He wished the athletes the best as they go for the competition and urged them to be great ambassadors of Cameroon by putting up brilliant performances in the competition. He assured the team of government’s resolve to ensure that they attain the final objective which is victory for Cameroon.

In the end, Minister Bidoung Mkpatt officially handed over the national flag to the captain of the national weightlifting team, Minkoumba Petit David, who represented national U-23 football striker, Samuel Ntep who is already in Azerbaijan.

It is expected that team Cameroon will do better than their 2013 participation in Indonessia where it bagged home only one bronze medal in athletics. The sports boss Minister used the opportunity to call on the athletes to not only increase the medals as compared to their last participation but to also lift high the country’s flag in Azerbaijan.