The World Alpagut Federation (WAF) successfully convened its historic Board of Directors meeting today, 19 May 2026, at its Baku headquarters. The meeting, originally scheduled for 17 May, was postponed by two days due to weather-related emergency conditions.
The meeting was chaired by Vasif Namazov, Chairman of the Board. The full Board — all 9 members — attended: 8 in person in Baku, while 1 member joined online.
PARTICIPANTS
– Vasif Namazov — Chairman of the Board
– Farid Alizade — Member of the Board
– Emil Rahimov — Member of the Board, Interim President
– Tural Abasguluyev — Member of the Board
– Farhad Aliyev — Member of the Board
– Nurana Shikhaliyeva — Member of the Board
– Gudrat Nuriyev — Member of the Board
– Rafig Gasimov — Member of the Board
– Gabil Huseynov — Member of the Board (online)
ADOPTED RESOLUTIONS
The Board discussed 8 agenda items and adopted the corresponding resolutions:
1. Formal adoption of the Edition 2026 regulatory framework — a unified legal package of 54 official documents across 5 hierarchical levels, covering all areas of the Federation’s activity. Approved unanimously and entered into operative effect the same day.
2. Expansion of the digital verification system — four new document categories added: ID Card, Referee License, Coach Certificate, and Rank Document.
3. Ratification of the National Representative appointment for Palestine — Firas Hafez Abdalhafeez Hajali confirmed as WAF National Representative for the State of Palestine.
4. Approval of international referee certificates — ATAMAN (Master/Tier 1) and BILGE (Senior/Tier 2) level certificates officially issued for the 2026 class.
5. Preparation plan for the December 2026 General Assembly — timeline and procedures approved for final ratification of the new framework.
6. International partnerships — expanding cooperation with TAFISA, ICSSPE, CIFP, ISCA; steps toward WADA and AIMS membership; expanding cooperation via the SportAccord platform.
7. Anti-doping and athlete protection regulations — athlete safety, ethics code and disciplinary procedures approved within the new framework.
8. Strategic plan for the 2026-2027 operational period defined.
A NEW ERA: FOUR CORE PRINCIPLES
1. Systematic — Every area of Federation activity under one legal system
2. International — Aligned with global sports federation standards
3. Transparent — Board resolutions, signatures and registries documented
4. Verifiable — Every document carries a unique code and QR for instant online verification
This meeting marks one of the most important regulatory moments in WAF’s history since its founding in 2014. The new framework will be submitted for final ratification at the General Assembly in December 2026.
