Judo

Judo (in Japanese Ju - soft, Do - the way) is a Japanese martial art. Jiqaro Kano had established major rules, the principles of training, the methods of fight of judo basing on Ju-Jitsu martial art. The date of establishment of judo is 1882 year.In the year 1972 State Committee for Physical Culture and Sport under the Council of Ministers of the USSR decided to allow spreading of judo in the USSR. Judo Federation as established in the same year in the Republic of Azerbaijan as the implementation of the Decision. In November 22, 1972, for the first time judo competitions were held in republic. The first clubs began functioning in Dinamo, Burevestnik, Lokomotiv, Vodnik societies and Sumgait, Ganja cities. In December 1972 the first coaches of Azerbaijani judo school Ismail Ahmedov, Sabir Huseynov, Agarza Akhmedov and Viktor Kuznetsov attended the first All-Union Seminar of  referees organized in Tallinn. Later Ahmaddin Rajabli and Viktor Kuznetsov also took part in the seminar of referees at all-Union level. Ismail Ahmedov, Sabir Huseynov, Ahmaddin Rajabli, Agarza Ahmedov, Rauf Shafiyev, Viktor Kuznetsov, Anvar Iskandarov, Tarlan Hasanov, Jarulla Shinqarov, Samad Shaniyarov and others specialists are considered the first judo coaches of Azerbaijan.
The first master of sports was Sahib Ismailov, the first international-class sports master was Gudrat Panjaliyev, and the first honored master of sports was Nazim Huseynov.The first honored coach of the Republic was Ahmaddin Rajabli, and the title of the first honored coach of the former USSR was awarded to Agayar Akhundzade.The first master of the sport among girls is Arzu Atayeva, and the first international master of sports is Gulshan Shirinova.The title of the first all-union referee was given to Rauf Shafiyev, the first international-class referee were Zair Mammadov and Valeh Maharramov.The first prize winner of the former USSR championships was Alakbar Ismailov (1975 - gold), Sahib Ismayilov (1972 - bronze), Anvar Ahmedov (1982 - silver).
Farhad Rajabli won medal in European competitions for the first time among Azerbaijani judoists. He was awarded third place in European championship among juniors held in Hungary in 1978. But the greatest achievements of Azerbaijani judo connected with the name of Nazim Huseynov. He won in 1992 a gold medal in Barcelona Summer Olympic Games.At present Azerbaijan Judo Federation functions. Today\'s athletes try their force at youth tournaments. In the Beijing Olympiad of 2008 namely these young sportsmen took part.In 2010 at Judo World Championships held in Turkey Afaq Sultanova won gold medals at 57 kg weight category and Ilham Zakiyev at + 100 kg weight category. In April 2011 Azerbaijani judoists returned with 6 medals at the European Cup held in Kiev, capital of Ukraine.