Opening ceremony of the "Grand Prix" international karate tournament held in Baku

The official opening ceremony of the "Grand Prix" international karate tournament, organized by the Azerbaijan Karate Federation and held in Baku on April 10-12, 2026, has taken place.

İdman.Biz reports that the opening ceremony was held at a high organizational level at the "Sarhadchi" Sports Center in Baku.

Approximately 700 athletes representing 6 countries are participating in the event, which further demonstrates the international scale and level of competition of the tournament.

The ceremony began with the participating teams entering the arena to the sounds of music. Then, the chief referee of the competition presented a report to the President of the Azerbaijan Karate Federation. The National Anthem was played, followed by a minute of silence in memory of the Great Leader and the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Ulvi Guliyev, President of the Azerbaijan Karate Federation, 8th Dan black belt master and Member of Parliament, speaking with an opening speech, noted the importance of the tournament and stated that such international competitions make a significant contribution to the development of sports in our country, the exchange of experience between athletes, and the strengthening of Azerbaijan's sports reputation.

The Ambassador of Japan to Azerbaijan also spoke at the event and wished the participants of the competition success. After the speeches, commemorative gifts prepared by the Azerbaijan Karate Federation were presented to the guests.

In the artistic part of the opening ceremony, national and modern dance performances, as well as an exemplary kata performance by the Azerbaijan Karate Federation's youth team, were demonstrated.

Following the artistic part, the final matches started and the awarding of the winners was carried out in stages. The leadership of the Azerbaijan Karate Federation, representatives of government agencies and international guests participated in the award ceremonies. Medals, diplomas and commemorative gifts were presented to the winners.

The "Grand Prix" international karate tournament continues with matches in various age and weight categories.