The city, the capital of the South Ural, on the border between Europe and Asia, had organised the European Championships earlier this year, when Russia had finished top overall with six gold medals in an event that attracted 377 competitors from 45 countries watched by 50,000 spectators

It will be the first time that the World Championships have been held in Russia since they were staged in Moscow in 1983.

An official signing ceremony has taken place attended by Marius Vizer (pictured above centre), President of the International Judo Federation (IJF), Sergey Soloveychik (right), President of the European Judo Union and vice-president of the Russian Judo Federation, and Mikhail Yurevich (left), Governor of the Chelyabinsk region.

"Chelyabinsk is already acquainted to many athletes and the city will welcome them as old friends." said Yurevich.

"The 2014 World Championships will establish the status of Chelyabinsk as a capital of Russian judo."

At the end of the signing ceremony, Vizer presented Yurevich with a special award, while a medal was also given to Mansur Isaev, the London 2012 Olympic -73 kilogram champion who is from Chelyabinsk.


There was also a special award for Ezio Gamba, who was head of the Russian team who finished top of the medals table at London 2012.

The World Championships are held every year, except in Olympic year, and have been held since 1956, when they were staged in Tokyo.

The first women's World Championships were held in New York in 1980 and the two have been held together since 1987 in Essen. 

The 2013 World Championships are due to be held in Rio de Janeiro and will return to Brazil in 2015, when they are scheduled for São Paulo. 

Russia is currently the tenth most successful country in the Championships, having won a total of 37 medals, including seven gold.

Its predecessor, the Soviet Union, are the eighth most successful country with 57 medals, 11 of them gold.

Easily the most successful country is Japan, who have won a total of 269 medals, twice as many as France, its nearest rival, with 112 gold.

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