Shahana Hajiyeva, a gold medal-winning Paralympic judoka, has been banned for life after a routine eye exam showed she has no visual impairment.
The International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) conducted the tests ahead of the 2025 IBSA World Championships.
The Paralympic judoka banned for life case has triggered global debate over athlete eligibility and classification in adaptive sports.
Azerbaijan’s National Paralympic Committee claims the issue stems from recent classification changes, not intentional cheating.
From Gold to Disgrace: A Paralympic Dream Crumbles
The story reads like fiction: a Paralympic judoka banned for life after medical tests proved she could see.
That athlete is Shahana Hajiyeva, a 24-year-old judoka from Azerbaijan who won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. She competed in the women’s 48kg division for athletes with visual impairments. But according to the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA), Hajiyeva never should’ve been eligible in the first place.
“The athlete does not have any visual impairments and has been permanently disqualified from parajudo.”– International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA)
The decision was announced after reclassification exams ahead of the 2025 IBSA World Championships in Kazakhstan.
A Meteoric Rise Under Scrutiny
Hajiyeva made international headlines in 2019 when she upset China’s reigning Paralympic champion Li Liqing at the Baku Grand Prix. She was just 18.
Her stunning gold-medal victory in the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 only cemented her reputation — until now.
“She was considered a national hero after Tokyo. That’s what makes this fall so dramatic.”
The news that the Paralympic judoka banned for life was allegedly never blind has shocked the judo world — and raised serious questions about how such a glaring misclassification occurred at the sport’s highest levels.
NPC Response: Blame the System, Not the Athlete
In response to the ban, Azerbaijan’s National Paralympic Committee (NPC) denied any wrongdoing by Hajiyeva and pointed instead to shifting classification rules. According to the NPC, she was previously eligible under the J2 classification.
“At the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, parajudo competitions were held in categories B1, B2, and B3. However, in the run-up to the Paralympic Games in Paris and at the Games themselves, the number of categories was reduced, and competitions were organized in two new categories – J1 and J2.”– Azerbaijan’s National Paralympic Committee
Whether the issue was bureaucratic or intentional deception is still under debate, but IBSA’s verdict was final: Hajiyeva is permanently banned from all parajudo competition.
“Due to these changes, many eye conditions that were previously included in the J2 category were excluded. That affected some athletes, including Hajiyeva.”– Azerbaijan’s National Paralympic Committee
Classification Reform on the Horizon?
As the Paralympic gold medalist banned a scandal emerged which has highlighted what critics say is an outdated and poorly enforced classification system.
“It’s a reminder that classification is the foundation of fairness in adaptive sport. Without it, everything falls apart.”– Sports Integrity Analyst, Mirror UK
Hajiyeva’s case is already prompting calls for more rigorous and transparent assessments, particularly in high-profile international tournaments. Some suggest full re-testing of all athletes ahead of major competitions — others argue that national committees must shoulder more of the vetting responsibility.
A Damaging Precedent in Paralympic Grappling Sport
The story of a Paralympic judoka banned for life isn’t just about one athlete’s fall from grace — it’s about trust, process, and institutional accountability.
Whether the system failed Hajiyeva or she exploited it, one truth remains: the credibility of Paralympic judo — and adaptive sport at large — hinges on making sure this doesn’t happen again.
