Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev has awarded International Judo Federation President Marius Vizer the country’s Order of Friendship, ahead of the World Judo Championships in Baku.
Aliyev presented the honour to Vizer during a meeting in Baku on October 3, thanking him for his support for the development of judo in Azerbaijan and for the organisation of the world championships.
Azerbaijan is hosting the prestigious event for the second time. Aliyev said he was confident the championships would be held to a high standard.
The Azerbaijani president described judo as one of the country’s most popular and successful sports, highlighting the medals won by Azerbaijani judoka at major international competitions. He also pointed to the role of modern sports infrastructure in Baku and across the country in supporting Azerbaijan’s sporting achievements.
Baku, October 2026
Vizer thanked Aliyev for the reception and for his support for judo in Azerbaijan. He also congratulated the country’s judoka on their international successes and praised the organisation of the World Championships in Baku.
The two sides discussed future cooperation between the IJF and the Azerbaijan Judo Federation, while Azerbaijan’s active membership of the IJF was also highlighted during the meeting.
According to the Azerbaijani presidency, the Order of Friendship recognises Vizer’s contribution to the development of judo in Azerbaijan and internationally, as well as his long-standing work in promoting the sport.
The meeting came ahead of the Baku World Judo Championships, with the individual events scheduled for October 4-10 and the mixed team competition on October 11.
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