EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP WITHOUT GOLD

The continent’s top judokas gathered in Georgia to crown new European champions. Azerbaijan’s team, consisting of 15 athletes, returned home with four medals.

Hopes and disappointments

In sports where we have a proven track record of success, there is an expectation of achieving gold medals. However, Azerbaijani judokas did not meet these expectations and, for the second consecutive time, left the European Championships, held from April 16 to 19 in Tbilisi, without gold.

In 2026, our athletes performed well at the Grand Slam tournaments and other international competitions, which led to them being regarded as favourites at the continental championship. However, for various reasons, these predictions were not fulfilled.

The team's aspirations were heavily reliant on the expertise of Olympic champions Hidayat Heydarov and Zelim Kotsoev. Hidayat Heydarov competed in the under-73kg category and achieved second place after being defeated in the final. Zelim Kotsoev, who has won every title in the under-100kg division, was unable to take advantage of the early defeats of his main rivals. The 27-year-old was eliminated in the semi-final by Dutch competitor Simeon Katarine, failing to reach the final stage. Furthermore, the use of a prohibited technique resulted in the loss of the opportunity to compete for a bronze medal.

The European Championships in Tbilisi will also be remembered for controversial refereeing decisions in critical bouts. For instance, in the under-60kg category, Balabey Aghayev was eliminated in the semi-finals following a controversial refereeing decision in the final moments of the match. The refereeing decisions also had a notable impact on the match between Hidayat Heydarov and Georgian judo legend Lasha Shavdatuashvili, with Heydarov receiving a warning (shido) in the closing stages, narrowly missing out on the championship title.

The coaching staff expressed satisfaction with Bayramov's determination and fighting spirit. He was included in the team at the last moment due to Ruslan Pashayev's injury (under-66kg). The 24-year-old judoka secured his first continental bronze medal. Ahmad Yusifov and Zelim Tskaev secured two additional bronze medals, replicating their achievements from the previous year.

The overall result for Azerbaijan’s team—one silver and three bronze medals—can be considered satisfactory. However, it is necessary to note the underwhelming performances of certain athletes. In particular, the absence of medals from Olympic champion Zelim Kotsoev as well as from promising judokas Omar Rajabli and Murad Fatiyev calls for serious analysis.

The women’s team failed to deliver surprises at the European Championships. Under the guidance of French coach Amina Abdellatif, only Shafag Hamidova reached the semi-finals. Despite victories over strong opponents in earlier rounds, she was defeated in the semi-final.

Serious preparation necessary

Bronze medallist Zelim Tskaev stated that he would aim for gold in upcoming competitions: "I acknowledge that I experienced a minor decline in performance during the semi-final. Overall, I am satisfied with my performance. I do not consider bronze to be a poor outcome. We will prepare more thoroughly for future events. My objective is to secure a gold medal at the World Championships. With regard to my sixth loss to Georgian Tato Grigalashvili, I will be discussing the matter with my coach. We will analyse mistakes and try to correct them."

Turan Bayramov, who took third place, also shared his feelings: "I am more than happy! For me, this medal is a significant accomplishment. I was called up to the team at short notice due to Ruslan Pashayev's injury. Georgia is a place that has been kind to me: I also won bronze here last time, at a Grand Slam tournament. On this occasion, I had the potential to secure first place, but unfortunately, I made an error."

Olympic champion Zelim Kotsoev, who did not win a medal, said he would prepare seriously for the World Championships in Baku: "My disqualification at the Tbilisi tournament was a huge disappointment. This was the first time I had encountered such a situation in my professional career. I am of the opinion that no forbidden moves were made in that episode. Regardless, a thorough analysis of my performance will be conducted prior to the commencement of preparations. The objective is to arrive at the World Championships in Baku in optimal condition."

Looking ahead to the championship in Baku

Assessing the results of the European Championships in Georgia, it must be said that some judokas were not in their best form. Success at international competitions throughout the year is negated if it is not confirmed at world and European championships.

Nonetheless, the team has an excellent opportunity to please fans. In October, Baku will host a prestigious World Judo Championship featuring top countries such as Japan, China and Brazil. Azerbaijan’s team is simply obliged to delight fans with gold—any other outcome will be considered unsatisfactory.