At the end of 2023, in a momentous gathering that took place on 26th December, the Ministry of Youth and Sports organised a gala ceremony to celebrate remarkable achievements in sport during 2023. The event concluded with the acknowledgment of winners across various categories.
Rashad Rasulu and Farid Qayibov

The Azerbaijan Judo Federation secured 2nd place in the ‘Best Sports Federation of the Year’ category. Additionally, members of the judo family received well-deserved honours in various categories, demonstrating their excellence, in the final results of the ‘Best of the Best’ survey. Those that won first place are included below but they were supported by many colleagues who were acknowledged for their dedication and victories.

Best Male Athlete: Hidayat Heydarov

Best Judge: Nazim Umbayev

Best Medical Worker: Ramil Valiyev

Other results

Best Coach: Rustam Alimli (3rd).

Fair Play: Fariz Huseynov (3rd).

Sports Discovery of the Year: Khadija Gadashova (2nd).

Best Sports Movie: "White Suite Girls!" (2nd)

The National Olympic Committee awarded Azerbaijan Judo Federation with the prestigious title of "The Most Creative Sports Federation of the Year" for the social project "White Suite Girls."

The award was presented to Secretary General Rashad Rasulu by the Ministry of Youth and Sport Farid Gayibov.

The resounding success of White Suite Girls was further highlighted by other international bodies, securing barious sports and film awards, an unprecedented success within Azerbaijani advertising and marketing, particularly in the category of communications and public services. Additionally, the project received honours at Red Jolbors, the largest communication festival in Central Asia and a gold award in the Sustainable PR Campaign category at the Ad Black Sea Festival.

IJF President Mr Marius Vizer said, "On behalf of the IJF, I am glad to congratulate you and the entire team of Azerbaijan Judo Federation for receiving the 'Most Creative Project of the Year' award from the National Olympic Committee and securing the second place in the 'Best Sports Film of the Year' category, from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, for the social campaign 'White Suits Girls Best.'", that you run together with Azercell.

These awards are the result of the dedication and hard work you and your team have done over the years for the development of the Azerbaijan judo generally, and for women’s judo, especially. On this occasion, the judo values are once again highlighted, promoting inclusivity, healthy and active lifestyle among the youth.

The IJF takes pride in your achievements and initiatives. We look forward to continuing a fruitful collaboration between the International Judo Federation and the Azerbaijan Judo Federation."

After this celebration, the Azerbaijan Judo Federation is ready to open a new chapter with the 2024 season and are looking forward to extending existing projects, creating new ones and preparing a strong team for the Olympic Games in Paris.

Source: Azerbaijan Judo Federation

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