Budapest, 14 September 2026 - Kazakhstan’s national judo team took part in the Hungary Grand Slam 2026 international tournament, held on 11-13 September this year in the capital of Hungary.

The competition brought together 504 athletes from 67 countries. Medals were contested in 14 weight categories at the László Papp Sports Arena, with seven categories each for men and women. The Hungary Grand Slam is included in the official calendar of the International Judo Federation (“IJF”) and is one of the stages of the IJF World Judo Tour.

Kazakhstan was represented at the tournament by 12 judokas: 10 men and 2 women. As part of the event, Ambassador-designate Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Hungary Anel Bakytbekkyzy met with members of the national team and wished the athletes further success and new achievements on the international stage.

On the sidelines of the tournament, the Ambassador-designate held a meeting with President of the International Judo Federation Marius Vizer and Adviser to the President of the International Judo Federation (“IJF”) Almaz Alsenov.

The parties exchanged views on the further development of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the International Judo Federation, the promotion of judo, the training of coaches and referees, as well as the organisation of major international competitions in the country.

Particular attention was paid to preparations for the 2027 World Judo Championships in Astana. Kazakhstan will host the World Championships for seniors in individual and team events for the first time. The tournament will bring together the world’s strongest judokas and will serve as an important stage of the Olympic cycle on the road to the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

In addition, the parties discussed the prospects of opening an IJF Academy in Astana, which is expected to become a regional platform for training coaches and referees of international level.

The participants noted the positive dynamics of judo development in Kazakhstan. Currently, more than 160,000 adults and children practise this sport in the country. The “Judo in Schools” programme is being implemented, judo’s presence in higher and military education is expanding, and work is underway to improve the professional level of coaches and referees.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Ambassador-designate emphasized Kazakhstan’s interest in further strengthening cooperation with the International Judo Federation and implementing joint initiatives aimed at developing both mass and professional sport.

Background: Since 2023, Astana has hosted the Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam international ranking tournament, which is included in the official calendar of the International Judo Federation.

In 2027, Kazakhstan will host a number of major international sports competitions, including world championships in boxing, table tennis, judo, taekwondo and esports, as well as the World Junior Short Track Championships.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-budapest/press/news/details/1291859?lang=ru