Azerbaijan Sambo Federation
The Azerbaijan Sambo Federation plays an important role in the development of sambo wrestling in our country and in an international scale. The Sambo and Judo Federation was established In 1973, on the initiative of Alakbarov Arif Baba oglu, and he had led the federation for 10 consecutive years. On his initiative the international sambo tournaments were held in Baku (1973-1981) at a high level. After the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan Sambo Federation was established in 1992. On November 16, 1992 the ASF's first founding congress was held in Sumgayit. At the Congress Zalimkhan Mammadov was elected the ASF's first official president. He has led the ASF for 10 years.
Since 1993, the ASF is an active member of the European Sambo Federation (FES) and the International Amateur Sambo Federation (FIAS). Since 2003, the legendary sambo-wrestler who wrote his name in the national and world sport history, honored master of sports, our national pride and world record holder Jeyhun Mahammad oglu Mammadov has been the president of the Azerbaijan Sambo Federation.
Main achievements of the Azerbaijani sambo-wrestlers began after the restoration of independence of our republic. During 17 years of the Azerbaijan Sambo Federation’s operation a number of significant successes have been achieved, a new stage started in the development of sambo. The Azerbaijani sambo-wrestlers Master of Sports of International Class Rafig Seyfaddin oglu Ismailov, Master of Sports Sanan Akbar oglu Rustamov were martyred in the war for the territorial integrity of our country and repmanently wrote their names in the glorious annals of Sambo Federation. Their actions play an important role in educating young sambo-wrestlers in the spirit of love for the motherland.
During the period of independence the Azerbaijani sambo-wrestlers have become the first in Europe (our national team took I place among teenagers and juniors, and II place among men in 1997). Along with outstanding athletes made an indelible mark in the history of Sambo such as the Honored Masters of Sport Jeyhun Mammadov and Zulfiya Huseynova, two-time European and world champion Movlud Miraliyev, European and world champion Shahmuraz Gasimov, two-time world champion and world cup winner Hakim Nazaraliyev, two-time European champion Galib Humbatov, world cup holder Sehriman Aghayev, world cup winner Elchin Mayilov, the European champions Elshan Poladov, Intigam Azizov, Azer Jafarov, Tarlan Poladov, Elshan Rəshidov, Islam Gasimov have shown high results and adequately protected the honor of our country in the international competitions. Among our sambo-wrestlers who showed high results in the European and world championships among teenagers and juniors Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, Emin Mammadov, Ramil Gasimov, Vugar Mammadov, Ramin Ibrahimov, Khalid Abbasov, Firuddin Musayev, Elshan Abdullayev, Araz Mukhtarov, Zabil Farhadov, Vasif Safarbayov, Emil Hasanov, Afgan Abdullayev, Javidan Garayev and others can be mentioned.
Honored coach and referee of a nationwide scale Sabir Huseynov (the head coach of the national team in1967-1992), honored coach of the USSR and Azerbaijan and internationally certified referee Abulfaz Aliyev (the head coach of the national team in 1993-2003), honored coach and internationally certified top-class referee Mubariz Ibrahimov (the head coach of the national team since 2004) rendered great services in the targeted preparation of the national Sambo wrestling team for the official international competitions, in the achieved successes.
Currently, as a result of targeted activity of ASF the geographical position of Sambo in our Republic is further extended, it is being developed in Baku, Sumgait, Ganja, Ali-Bayramli, Mingachevir, Yevlakh and Lankaran cities, Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Guba, Gusar, Devechi, Siyazan, Khizi, Samukh, Zagatala, Agsu, Shamakhi, Gobustan, Ismayilli, Kurdamir, Goranboy, Aghdam, Masalli, Jalilabad, Agjabedi and Barda regions, and the athletes participate in the regional, municipal and national competitions.