Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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The Azerbaijan Judo Federation (AJF) has received international recognition with two of its social projects nominated for awards at the Judo Awards 2025, organized by the International Judo Federation (IJF), Azernews reports. The voting process will remain open until January 15, 2026.

The nominated initiatives reflect AJF's commitment to promoting judo as a sport that fosters both personal growth and social values.

The first project, "First Step into Judo", has been nominated in the category of Judo for Children Project of the Year. It introduces children to the fundamentals of judo, encouraging discipline, respect, and healthy living from an early age.

The second project, "World Judo Day – Peace", has been nominated as the Judo for Peace Project of the Year. This initiative highlights the role of judo in promoting harmony and understanding, using the sport as a bridge for peace.

Voting rules stipulate that participants must register before casting their votes, and each person can vote only once per category. These nominations underscore Azerbaijan’s growing influence in the global judo community and demonstrate the federation's dedication to both athletic excellence and social responsibility.

Founded in 1972, the Azerbaijan Judo Federation actively promotes this martial art worldwide. Since 2015, the Federation has been led by Rovnag Abdullayev.

The country's modern judo history was laid by Mehman Azizov, who won a silver medal at the Old World Championship in 1998.

A year later, the winner of the World Youth Games in Moscow, Rasul Salimov, grabbed the bronze medal at the European Championship in Slovakia. Another national judoka, Elchin Ismayilov, became the European champion in 2000 in Wroclaw.

However, the achievements of Azerbaijani judo fighters did not stop there. Elnur Mammadli was named the best at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 73 kg division.

The list of the country's top judo fighters includes Rustam Orujov, İrina Kindzerskaya, Mammadali Mehdiyev, Elmar Gasimov, Hidayat Heydarov, Zelim Kotsoev, Ushangi Kokauri, and Nijat Shikhalizada.