A flag presentation ceremony was held on the final day of the World Judo Championship in Budapest, Hungary, Azernews reports.
The International Judo Federation (IJF) flag was officially handed over to Azerbaijan, which will host the Baku World Judo Championship in 2026.
The flag was received by Vice-President of the Azerbaijan Judo Federation and an Olympic gold medalist Elnur Mammadli.
Attending the ceremony were President of the European Judo Union Laszlo Toth, Secretary-General of the International Judo Federation Lisa Allan and other distinguished officials.
The World Judo Championship is scheduled to take place in Baku from July 9 to 16, 2026.
The individual competitions will be held from July 9 to 15, with the mixed team event scheduled for July 16.
This will be Baku’s second time hosting the prestigious tournament, the first being in 2018.
Founded in 1972, the Azerbaijan Judo Federation actively promotes this martial art across the country. The federation is headed by the Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev.
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.
At the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games, judokas Hidayat Heydarov (73 kg) and Zelym Kotsoiev (100 kg) earned gold medals for Azerbaijan.
