Elnur Mammadli: Home crowd brings both advantage and pressure

Azerbaijan Judo Federation Vice-President Elnur Mammadli spoke about the results of Azerbaijani judokas at a news conference dedicated to the conclusion of the Baku 2026 World Championships.

He said that support from home fans gives athletes an advantage, but having family members and close friends in the stands can also create additional pressure. According to Mammadli, this can negatively affect athletes’ performances in some cases. Nevertheless, he praised the team’s results and congratulated the athletes.

Also attending the news conference were ACF Executive Vice-President Rashad Rasulov, national teams’ performance director and head coach of Azerbaijan’s men’s national team Richard Trautmann.

The World Judo Championships were held in Baku from October 4 to 11. Azerbaijan’s national team won one gold, two silver and four bronze medals, setting a national record for the number of medals at senior world championships. Ahmad Yusifov (60 kg) became world champion. Zelim Tchkaev (81 kg) and Ushangi Kokauri (over 100 kg) won silver, while Rashid Mammadaliyev (73 kg), Omar Rajabli (81 kg), Murad Fatayev (90 kg) and Kenan Nasibov (over 100 kg) took bronze.