Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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The Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation (AWF) has launched a new initiative aimed at improving transparency and awareness in the sport, Azernews reports.

The federation announced that from now on, controversial moments recorded during domestic competitions will be reviewed and clarified in special meetings following tournaments.

The first event to be analyzed under this project was the Azerbaijan Greco-Roman and Freestyle Wrestling Championships, held from January 7 to 11 at the Baku Sports Palace.

The competition's chief referee, Asif Shiraliyev, provided detailed explanations regarding several disputed episodes that occurred during certain matches.

The federation emphasized that the primary goal of the project is to ensure transparency, increase education on wrestling rules, and enhance overall understanding of officiating decisions.

The AWF plans to implement a series of activities in line with this initiative in the near future.

Wrestling remains the most widely followed sport in Azerbaijan and is governed by the National Wrestling Federation, established in 1993.

A major turning point in the nation’s wrestling legacy came at the Rio Olympic Games, where Azerbaijan distinguished itself as one of only two countries to improve its medal haul across five consecutive Olympic Games.

Azerbaijan's success continued in 2020, when its freestyle wrestlers finished third in the overall medal standings at the Individual World Cup in Serbia, capturing two medals, one silver and one bronze, behind leaders Russia and Türkiye.

Further highlighting the country's strength on the world stage, Osman Nurmagomedov claimed the 92 kg world title at the 2022 World Championships in Belgrade, overcoming a Russian rival in the final.

Most recently, Azerbaijan added to its Olympic record at the 2024 Summer Games, securing three bronze medals in wrestling. Hasrat Jafarov reached the podium in the 67 kg Greco-Roman category, while Giorgi Meshvildishvili (125 kg) and Magomedkhan Magomedov (97 kg) delivered bronze medals in freestyle wrestling.