Today, the opening ceremony of the European Judo Hopefuls Tournament took place at the Absheron Olympic Sports Complex.

According to Offsideplus.az, the event began with the playing of the National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Elnur Mammadli, Vice President of the Azerbaijan Judo Federation, expressed his satisfaction that the country is hosting this tournament for the second time. He stated that the tournament holds significant importance for young judokas to gain international experience, test their skills against representatives from various judo schools, and establish new friendships. Mammadli also thanked the European Judo Union for the trust shown in hosting the event.

Sergey Oleynik, the Chief Sports Commissioner of the European Judo Union (EJU), welcomed the participants on behalf of EJU President Laslo Toth. He expressed gratitude for the high level of organisation and hospitality in Azerbaijan and thanked all team members involved in the tournament's execution.

Following the official speeches, the European Judo Hopefuls Tournament was declared open.