In April 2011, the IAAF enacted a transfer delay in line with its international rules, banning Guliyev from representing any country other than Azerbaijan until April 2014. The runner argued that the training and financial support that he received in Turkey was significant, and that the people, language, and culture were very similar between the two countries, though his home federation remained open to him representing Azerbaijan internationally again. Following negotiations with the Azerbaijani Ministry of Youth and Sports, Guliyev confirmed his original decision not to compete for Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan's Minister of Youth and Sports Azad Rahimov explained this by Guliyev's putting forward too unreasonable financial demands for a young athlete and expressed doubt that Guliyev's representation of Turkey in the 2012 Summer Olympics would be successful.