The Azerbaijan Judo Federation has clarified the reasons behind Olympic champion Hidayat Heydarov's decision to compete in the 81kg division at the Qingdao Grand Prix in China, İdman.Biz reports.
Responding to an inquiry from İdman.Biz, the federation said the decision for the Paris 2024 Olympic champion, world champion and four-time European champion to move up in weight was made jointly by the coaching staff and the athlete.
According to the federation, the move is intended to protect Heydarov's health and provide him with additional competitive experience. Officials stressed that no final decision has yet been made regarding the weight category in which he will continue his career.
The federation also provided an update on Olympic champion Zelim Kotsoyev (100kg) and Madina Kaisinova (+78kg), both of whom have missed recent tournaments because of injuries.
It said both judokas are dealing with minor injuries and are expected to return to competition in the near future. As a precaution, they will not compete at the Qingdao Grand Prix, scheduled for June 26-28.
Earlier this month, Heydarov was forced to miss the Grand Slam in Ulaanbaatar after being unable to make the 73kg weight limit. All of his major senior titles, including Olympic, world and European gold medals, have come in the 73kg division.
