Judo Federation holds seminar on IJF rule amendments

A seminar addressing the latest regulations implemented by the International Judo Federation (IJF) for male and female national team athletes has taken place, Azernews reports citing the Azerbaijan Judo Federation.

The seminar was conducted under the leadership of Natig Bagirov, Chairman of the Referees Committee of the Azerbaijan Judo Federation (AJF), and Metin Rahimli, the AJF’s referees manager and an A-category international referee.

During the event, updates to the rules were explained to the athletes through practical examples, and the criteria for refereeing decisions in various match situations were discussed in detail.

The seminar aimed to ensure that athletes gain a clearer understanding of the new requirements, prevent potential misunderstandings during competitions, and support the development of more effective tactical approaches.

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, ?rina Kindzerskaya, Mammadali Mehdiyev, Elmar Gasimov, Hidayat Heydarov, Zelim Kotsoev, Ushangi Kokauri, and Nijat Shikhalizada.