From January 7 to 15, Azerbaijan's national judo team is attending the Olympic training camp held in Mittersill, Austria.
Organized by the European Judo Union, the international camp features 30 Azerbaijani judokas, including Olympic champions Hidayat Heydarov and Zelim Kotsoyev. This training camp is considered a key stage in preparation for the new season.
In total, 848 athletes from 44 countries are participating in the training process.
On December 28, the Azerbaijan Judo Federation (AJF) organized a nationwide seminar attended by 150 coaches from various regions of the country. During the event, plans for the upcoming year, the competition calendar, and new rules to be implemented in judo were discussed and explained.
The seminar, held at the Azerbaijan Sports Academy, was attended by the AJF President's Advisor and Chair of the Referees Committee Natig Baghirov, Executive Vice President Rashad Rasullu, Deputy Secretary General and Sports Director Kamran Talibov, Domestic Competitions Manager Agayar Akhundzade, and Education Manager Orkhan Orukzade.
During the meeting, it was emphasized that the use of the "Judo Manager" program is a mandatory requirement by the Federation. Additionally, discussions were held on the regulations for awarding belt ranks and dan grades. The licensing procedures and requirements for clubs were also explained in detail to the participants.
Coaches were reminded of the necessity to comply with the provisions of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On Physical Education and Sports." They were also instructed to ensure the availability of health certificates for all athletes. Furthermore, the calendar of events scheduled for 2025 was presented, and the rules for participation in upcoming competitions were thoroughly discussed.
A draft guideline on the certification and licensing of coaches was also introduced to the participants. The document aims to establish the processes for education, training, development, evaluation, and licensing of individuals engaged in coaching, either professionally or at an amateur level, in judo. After discussions with the judo community, the final version of the document will be submitted to the AJF Executive Committee for approval.
In the second part of the seminar, Natig Baghirov, Chair of the Referees Committee, provided theoretical and practical explanations of the new rules announced by the International Judo Federation. He also addressed numerous questions from the coaches regarding these changes.
During the event, dan ranks were awarded to several coaches.
On December 1, the team competitions of the Azerbaijan Judo Championship were held at the Baku Sports Hall. Seven women’s teams and nine men’s teams competed for the championship cup.
In the women’s competition, judokas competed in the -52 kg, -57 kg, -63 kg, -70 kg, and +70 kg weight categories. In the men’s competition, the weight categories were -66 kg, -73 kg, -81 kg, -90 kg, and +90 kg. A total of 104 judokas participated.
The teams were divided into two separate groups for women and men. Within each group, the teams faced one another. Based on the group stage results, teams advanced to the semifinals and consolation matches.
In the women’s bronze medal matches, Umbayev Sport Club defeated Neftçi Sports Club (2) with a score of 3:0, and Judo Club 2012 overcame Azəri-Judo Sports Club with a score of 3:1. The final match was held between Neftçi Sports Club (1) and Shusha UGIM. Neftçi Sports Club (1) won the final with a score of 3:1, securing the championship cup and gold medals in the women’s team competition.
In the men’s bronze medal matches, Neftçi Sports Club (1) defeated Neftçi Sports Club (2) with a score of 3:0, while Kanokan TT Sports Club triumphed over Sərhədçi Sports Center with a score of 3:1. The final match was contested between Judo Club 2012 and Atilla Sports Club, with Judo Club 2012 winning 3:2 to claim the men’s team championship cup and gold medals.
