Azerbaijan expands judo kata presence

The European Judo Union said on May 17 that Azerbaijan used the European Judo Championships Kata in Sarajevo to present a wider push into kata, a discipline long overshadowed in the country by contest judo. The governing body’s event report focused on junior Nage-no-Kata pair Famil Asadov and Yusif Ahmadov and linked their appearance to federation-backed development work that began in 2023. The championships were held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on May 16-17, according to the International Judo Federation and the EJU. The IJF lists 26 countries and 374 competitors for the event. ### Who were the Azerbaijani athletes in Sarajevo? The IJF entry list for Sarajevo names Famil Asadov and Yusif Ahmadov as Azerbaijan’s two competitors, both entered in Nage-no-Kata. The EJU identified them as a junior pair and said their appearance signaled Azerbaijan’s intent to build beyond its established reputation in shiai, or contest judo. (eju.net) Famil Asadov told the EJU that “kata is another way to learn judo” and described Nage-no-Kata as “very beautiful,” adding that the form helps athletes learn techniques. Yusif Ahmadov said the discipline demands instant understanding between partners, with each movement requiring synchronized timing and trust, according to the EJU report. ### When did Azerbaijan’s current kata push begin? (ijf.org) The EJU said Asadov and Ahmadov entered kata through a project launched in 2023 by the Azerbaijan Judo Federation in cooperation with its Sports Academy. A separate EJU report published on Dec. 29, 2025 said Azerbaijan had reached a milestone with its first national kata championship and inaugural kata judges’ seminar. (eju.net) A December 2023 seminar in Baku brought together 65 national coaches preparing for the IJF Academy by learning Nage-no-Kata, the EJU said in an earlier development report. That report also described kata and inclusive judo as part of the federation’s expansion beyond its elite contest program. ### What concrete result did the pair bring into Sarajevo? (eju.net) December 2025 was the month when Asadov and Ahmadov won Azerbaijan’s national junior title, the EJU said. The same report said that result persuaded the pair they could target a higher level of competition. The EJU did not present their Sarajevo appearance as a medal result. Instead, it framed the entry as part of a broader build-out in kata, adapted judo and education inside the Azerbaijani system. (eju.net) That characterization comes from the EJU report, not from an independently published federation strategy document reviewed here. ### How large was the Sarajevo championships field? (eju.net) The International Judo Federation lists the European Judo Championships Kata Sarajevo 2026 as running from May 16 to May 17 in Bosnia and Herzegovina with 26 countries and 374 competitors. The EJU, in a preview published on May 14, had described Sarajevo as the biggest edition in championship history and cited 452 competitors from 28 nations, up from 330 competitors and 21 countries two years earlier. (eju.net) Those figures differ between the two bodies’ published materials. The IJF competition page appears to reflect the official event database, while the EJU preview described the field before competition began. ### Why does kata matter inside Azerbaijan’s judo system? Azerbaijan’s federation is best known internationally for Olympic and world-level success in contest judo, and the EJU report explicitly contrasted that record with kata’s newer place in the country. (ijf.org) The same report said the Sarajevo entry showed investment in “kata, adapted judo and educational programmes” as Azerbaijan broadens its judo structure. Rashad Nabiyev is listed by the EJU as president of the National Judo Federation of Azerbaijan. Kamran Talibov, identified by the EJU in a separate development story as deputy secretary general and sports director, said in 2025 that first-time events in Azerbaijan were intended to build practical skills and experience for young judoka. ### What comes next after the championships? (eju.net) The EJU events calendar lists the Sarajevo Kodokan Kata Seminar for May 18-20, immediately after the May 16-17 championships. The IJF also lists the World Judo Championships Kata Sarajevo 2026 for Sept. 26-27 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. (eju.net 1) (eju.net 2)