Examination Committee

KURIBAYASHI TAKANORI
7th Dan Aikido
Aikido Hombu Shihan
www.shihan.az

Azerbaijan Aikido Examination Committee

The Azerbaijan Aikikai Aikido Clubs Public Union is the only official aikido organization recognized by the Aikikai Foundation and the International Aikido Federation, as confirmed by the relevant certificates. Our public union is the only legal organization authorized to represent Azerbaijan internationally. Our organization is the only official organization authorized to administer Kyu and Dan examinations in accordance with the Aikikai Charter (IAF). The Kyu and Dan degrees we issue, as well as instructor licenses, grant the right to represent Azerbaijan international arena.

AIKIKAI Hombu Dojo (Head Examiner) Curator: Kuribayashi Takanori Shihan.

ILHAM GULIYEV
6th Dan Aikido
Chief Examiner
www.sensei.az

EMIL MAMMADOV
3rd Dan Aikido
Examiner
www.emil.az

ELNUR NEMATOV
5th Dan Aikido
Examiner
www.elnur.az

Examiners

Ilham Guliyev – Chief Examiner
Emil Mammadov – Examiner
Elnur Nematov – Examiner
Arzu Mikayilov – Examiner
Tofig Najafov – Examiner
Faig Nuriyev – Examiner

ARZU MIKAYILOV
5th Dan Aikido
Examiner
www.arzu.az

TOFİG NAJAFOV
5th Dan Aikido
Examiner
www.tofig.az

FAİG NURİYEV
3rd Dan Aikido
Examiner
www.faig.az

Examination Committee members

The Examination Committee is divided into two parts. The first group is the Union’s General Examination Committee. This committee handles admission to examinations for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Dan. The second group consists of the examination committees of the clubs that are part of the union. The General Examination Commission administers examinations and monitors compliance with examination regulations, as well as the training of personnel in accordance with new regulations once they are adopted. This second group handles admission to exams for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Dan at clubs that are part of the union.

Special Committee for Higher Dan Holders

The primary function of the Special Examination Committee for Higher Dan Holders is to examine candidates for 6th, 7th, and 8th Dan, starting with 5th Dan Black Belt, and to present them for the Kagami Biraki event, as well as to select personnel based on the decisions made. The Highest Dan Commission is a special subdivision of the Union’s Examination Committee and has the right to participate in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Dan exams as the commission chairman and examiner. The commission chair is the union’s head coach and teacher, Sensei Faig Nureyev. www.hsdrc.az

Clubs that are members of the committee

The union officially comprises nine clubs, three dojos, and two representative offices. These include: the Emin Aikido Club, the Hombu Dojo Azerbaijan Aikido Aikikai Club, the IDDO Aikido Dojo, the Katana Aikido Sports Club Public Union, the Cynology Sports Club Public Union, the Sakura Aikido Club, the Shinjutsu Aikido Sports Club Public Union, the Budokan Aikido Dojo, the Baku Aikido Dojo, the Tajikistan Aikido Representation, and the Dubai Aikido Representation. The clubs within the union conduct examinations through an independent examination committee in accordance with legislation and international standards. The chief examiners of the clubs are members of the union’s main examination committee. The examination committee consists of Ilham Guliyev, Emil Mamedov, Elnur Nematov, Arzu Mikailov and Tofig Najafov, (Ruslan Mamedov and Faig Nuriyev). Leaders are selected from each of the four schools to form the General Examination Committee of the union. In accordance with international regulations, the chairman of the union serves as the chairperson of the examination committee.

Tajikistan Aikido Representation

The Tajikistan Aikido Representation has been operating since January 3, 2025, under the leadership of the Sakura Aikikai Club within the Azerbaijan Aikido Aikikai Clubs Public Union.

Support for the Aikido Delegation in Tajikistan

As a member of the Aikikai Foundation and the International Aikido Federation, in order to support the development of aikido in Tajikistan, we have begun organizing and developing a program for conducting Kyu and Dan examinations in accordance with AIKIKAI regulations for the Aikido Delegation in Tajikistan. According to the program, starting in 2025 and running until 2033, the Tajik delegation will train two 4th Dan holders and other Dan holders, who will then receive membership in AIKIKAI (HRO) and the International Aikido Federation.

Dubai Aikido Representation

The Dubai Aikido Representation was established within the Azerbaijan Aikido Aikikai Clubs Public Union of on August 21, 2025.

How and by whom are rank examinations conducted?

Starting December 1, 2024, examinations for 6th Kyu (6th Kyu to 1st Kyu) through 4th Dan (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Dan) will be administered by the examination committees of clubs within the union. Therefore, the examination committees within the union’s clubs are certified, and the conduct of examinations is entrusted to club committee staff. Each club must have one examiner and two examination committee assistants. The chief examiner of a club must hold at least the rank of 4th Dan. The chairman and chief examiner of the union’s examination committee is the union chairman. The chief examiner of a club’s committee may only be a person holding the rank of 4th Dan or higher. The appointment of examiners with the rank of 2nd and 3rd Dan is strictly prohibited! If necessary, if the club’s leader is of 3rd Dan or lower rank, the club may be allowed to accept examinations from 6th kyu to 2nd Dan by appointing a supervisor with 4th Dan rank.

Who is allowed to register with the Aikikai Foundation as an examiner for degrees ?

On December 1, 2017, Sensei Ilham Guliyev, Chairman of the Aikikai Examination Commission, became the first aikidoka registered in Azerbaijan as an examiner for the Kyu and Dan ranks at the Aikikai Foundation.

On July 1, 2024, in accordance with the decision of the Chairman of the Aikikai Examination Commission of Azerbaijan, Sensei Tofiq Najafov, Chairman of the Aikido Aikikai Sakura Club (his club, and the staff of Aikido Tajikistan), was authorized to administer the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Dan ranks and receive rank confirmation from the Aikikai Foundation as an examiner.

On September 12, 2025, in accordance with the decision of the Chairman of the Aikido Examination Commission of Azerbaijan, Sensei Elnur Nematov, Chairman of the Shinjutsu Aikido Sports Club Public Union (along with his club and the staff of the Aikido representative office in Dubai), was authorized to administer 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Dan exams and receive certification of their ranks from the Aikikai Foundation as an examiner. Additionally, Sensei Elnur Nematova has been granted permission to be an examiner for the attestation of Dan degrees of the general staff of the public union.

Permission to approve 3rd Dan grades with examiner status within the Aikikai Foundation will be granted to an instructor who has attained the rank of 5th Dan and is an examiner for the union’s commission.
Permission to certify 4th Dan grades with examiner status within the Aikikai Foundation will be granted to an instructor who has attained the rank of 6th Dan and is an examiner for the union’s commission.