Paris / La Gazette
Azerbaijan is ready to host the world judo championship next year. The Azerbaijan Judo Federation (AJF) and the International Judo Federation have reached an agreement in this regard.
This upcoming championship in Baku will kick off the judo qualifying events for the 2028 Summer Olympics (Los Angeles 2028) which will take place from July 14 to 30, 2028 in the United States.
Azerbaijan already organized the world judo championship in 2018.
The country will once again be at the center of the judo world by hosting the World Cup in June 2026.
The 2028 Summer Olympics program is expected to include events in at least 35 sports, including 27 of the “core” Olympic sports contested since 2016.
These Games will bring changes to the core Olympic sports program, including the permanent addition of skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing, after being introduced as optional sports in 2020 and 2024.
Founded in 1972, the Azerbaijan Judo Federation actively promotes this martial art throughout the country. Since 2015, the Federation has been headed by Rovnag Abdullayev.
The modern history of judo in Azerbaijan was marked by Mehman Azizov, who won a silver medal at the former world championships in 1998.
A year later, the winner of the World Youth Games in Moscow, Rasul Salimov, won the bronze medal at the European Championship in Slovakia. Another national judoka, Elchin Ismayilov, became European champion in 2000 in Wroclaw.
But the exploits of Azerbaijani judokas do not stop there. Elnur Mammadli was named best judoka at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in the 73 kg category.
La liste des meilleurs judokas du pays comprende Rustam Orujov, İrina Kindzerskaya, Mammadali Mehdiyev, Elmar Gasimov, Hidayat Heydarov, Zelim Kotsoev, Ushangi Kokauri et Nijat Shikhalizada.
At the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, judokas Hidayat Heydarov (73 kg) and Zelym Kotsoiev (100 kg) won gold medals for Azerbaijan.
