History of Azerbaijan Badminton

1962 – Badminton sport is introduced in Azerbaijan. Nazim Aliyev lays the foundation of badminton in the country. The first Baku Championship is held, winner – Lado Mehdiyev. The Azerbaijan Badminton Federation (ABF) is established.

1963 – The first Azerbaijan Championship is held.

1969 – First Sports Master – Gardashkhan Hadiyev. First Honored Coach – Nazim Aliyev. In the USSR Youth Championship held in Klaipeda, Gardashkhan Hadiyev and Valentina Tsyupa become champions as part of the team.

1976 – At the USSR Youth Championship held in Mogilev, Belarus, Mirza Orucov becomes the absolute champion.

1979 – Lado Mehdiyev is awarded the title of “Honored Coach.”

1981 – The Azerbaijan team becomes champion at the competitions of the Central Council of the USSR “Spartak” Society held in Moscow.

1996 – ABF is re-established. Kamal Abdullayev is elected president.

1997 – Azerbaijan becomes a member of the International Badminton Federation (IBF) and the European Badminton Federation.

1997 – At the Islamic Women’s Sports Games, Nargiz Mehdiyeva wins a bronze medal.

• 2002–2005 – At the International Fajr Tournament in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Nargiz Mehdiyeva and Sevinc Akhundova become multiple champions and prize-winners in singles and doubles categories.

2010 – At the “A” category International Fajr Tournament in Iran, Kenan Rzayev and Orkhan Qalandarov win a bronze medal.

2015 (June) – At the first European Games held in Baku, Azerbaijan is represented in badminton by Kenan Rzayev and Orkhan Qalandarov under the leadership of head coach Jeyhun Mammadaliyev.

2015 (June) – Mikayil Jabbarov is elected ABF president.

2018 (February) – For the first time in Azerbaijani badminton history, the men’s national team participates in the European Men’s Team Championship (Kazan, Russia).

2019 (June) – Mikayil Jabbarov is re-elected president for another 4 years.

2019 (June) – At the second European Games in Minsk, Ezmi Qovimuramadhoni advances to the quarterfinals.

2020 (February) – The national men’s team competes in the European Men’s Team Championship in Lievin, France.

2021 (Summer) – Edi Reski Dvichayo becomes the first badminton player in Azerbaijan’s history to represent the country at the Summer Olympic Games.

2021 (December) – Taleh Ziyadov is elected president of the ABF at an extraordinary conference

2022 – Baku is selected as the host city for international badminton events.

⁠2023 – The Badminton Europe Confederation Conference is held in Baku.