Four Olympic champions at opening of new judo center in Gusar

On August 30, a new Judo Training Center was opened in Gusar at the initiative of the Azerbaijan Judo Federation (AJF).

The opening ceremony was attended by Olympic champions Nazim Huseynov, Elnur Mammadli, Hidayat Heydarov, Zelim Kotsoyev, head of the Executive Power of  Gusar region Sahir Mammadkhanov, AJF Executive Vice President Rashad Rasullu, representatives of the Federation and other officials. They got acquainted with the conditions created in the Center.

The Center covers an area of  520 sq.m. and includes judo and physical training halls with an area of  250 sq.m. The main hall is equipped with tatami mats from German company Zebra, the official supplier of the International Judo Federation. The physical training hall is also equipped with all the necessary equipment.

The building also has a waiting room, gym hall and changing rooms. In addition, extensive landscaping work was carried out around the Center.

One of the main directions of the work of Azerbaijan Judo Federation is the development of judo in regions and improvement of infrastructure. In 2022–2024, the AJF opened judo halls in Ganja, Aghstafa, Zagatala, Goranboy, Aghali village of Zangilan region, Sabirabad, Zira settlement of Baku city and Sumgait.

Rashad Rasullu noted that improvement of material and technical base in regions and general development of judo in the country are very important for AJF.

“This is the main area of   our activity. Starting from 2022, the Federation provided about 6,500 tatami  mats to 90 gyms in Baku and  regions, and 1,300 young athletes were given the opportunity to train for free. Judo halls will also be opened in other regions in the near future. Work in this direction is carried out on the basis of the program adopted by the Federation. Special attention was paid to regions with great potential, but which do not yet have judo divisions.  New halls are planned to be built in Jalilabad, Shabran, Imishli and other regions in the near future.”