For the first time in Azerbaijan, an adaptive judo tournament has been held

On March 18, the first adaptive judo tournament was held at the National Judo Teams' Training Center, bringing together children with special needs.

The competition, organized within the framework of the “Adaptive Judo” project, was dedicated to March 21 – World Down Syndrome Day. Since July 2024, the project has been implemented through the joint collaboration of bp Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan Judo Federation (AJF).

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the tournament, Rashad Rasulov, Executive Vice President of the AJF, stated that one of the federation’s main priorities is to make judo accessible to everyone and to promote a healthy, inclusive environment. He expressed gratitude to the sponsors and partners of the event and emphasized his confidence that the participants would achieve even greater success in judo in the future and proudly represent Azerbaijan.

In his speech, Mushfig Hasanov, head of Yango Azerbaijan, highlighted the significance of adaptive judo for children with special needs in terms of increasing physical activity, positively impacting mental health, and improving decision-making skills. He noted that, as a company, they support the AJF’s important social mission and aim to contribute to the development of a more inclusive and adaptive environment.

At the end of the tournament, the winners were awarded medals and certificates. Participants also received gifts from Azercell Telekom, Yango Azerbaijan, and Sağlam Ailə clinic. Additionally, appreciation plaques were presented to adaptive judo coaches.

It should be noted that the primary goal of the project is to promote the social integration of children with Down syndrome, autism, and other special needs, while boosting their self-confidence. In addition to instilling the core values of judo, the project aims to enhance children’s physical activity and mental well-being.