The International Judo Federation has awarded Chelyabinsk in Russia hosting rights to the Judo World Championships in 2014.

Chelyabinsk held this year's Judo European Championships and Marius Vizer, president of the IJF, said that, as one of the sport's leading countries, Russia deserved to stage the World Championships again.

Russia has hosted the world event, held every year except Olympic years, on only one occasion, in Moscow in 1983.

The host city contract was signed by Vizer, Sergey Soloveychik, vice president of the Russian Judo Federation and president of European Judo Union, and Mikhail Yurevich, governor of the Chelyabinsk region.

Yurevich said: "Chelyabinsk is already acquainted to many [judo] athletes and the city will welcome them as old friends. The World Championships 2014 would fix the status of Chelyabinsk as a capital of Russian judo."

Sportcal