During the Sydney Games President of the National Olympic Committee Ilham Aliyev in his meeting with the International Wrestling Federation discussed the possibility of holding world and continental championships on this sport discipline in Baku. After these discussions the decision relating to conduction of European Freestyle Wrestling Championship in Baku was taken in 2002. In 2001 on the eve of the European Championship the first freestyle wresting tournament was held in Baku. This tournament was a king of test in organizational works for the European Championship. In the beginning of the year 2002 all preparation works for the organization and holding the competition was carried out.

Competition of the 45th European Championship began on May 2, 2002 in Sport Concert Complex. Thousand of sport amateurs came to Sport Concert Complex, for watching the solemn ceremony of the opening and the first bouts live.

President of Azerbaijan Republic Heydar Aliyev attended the opening ceremony of the championship. Azerbaijan President Heydar Aliyev's congratulation letter was read to the participants of the 45th European Championship in the beginning of the ceremony. Then NOC's President Ilham Aliyev delivered a speech. He welcomed the participants of the championship, guests and spectators gathered in the hall. Ilham Aliyev having mentioned the wide spread of wrestling in Azerbaijan emphasized that everyone would watch the competitions with great interest in Baku. He said that there were all conditions for the holding the competitions on high level in Sport Concert Complex renovated by the National Olympic Committee and congratulated all on the occasion of the opening of the championship.

President of the European Freestyle and Greco-Roman Wrestling Federation Tsen Tsenov after expressing his satisfaction for conditions fostered for the holding of the competitions said that he was confident that European and World championships would be held in Azerbaijan and wished the participants of the competitions to perform successfully and to win victory. After the speech of the President of Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation Abbas Abbasov competitions were declared open.

In 55 kg weight category 11 wrestlers joined the competition. Nazim Alijanov representing our country in this weight category won his Greek opponent Amiran Karntanov in the first bout with a score 4:3. His following opponent was Chetin Ersin. Our athlete won his bout easily. Vesarion Chochashvili one of the leading athletes of Georgian team, world champion among youths was the opponent of Nazim in the following bout. Our wrestler having held strenuous bout with Georgian wrestler won victory over him this a score 11:0 and gained applauses of spectators and once more proved his claim for the title of champion.

In 60 kg weight category Arif Abdullayev wrestled. His participation in the competitions became the cause of the enliven in the turn of the championship. In the first bout Arif won complete victory over Germany athlete Vilde with a score 5:1. The following opponent of Arif, athlete from Moldova Esir defeated our wrestler with a score 5:1. Arif Abdullayev won Italian Luizzi with a score 5:2 in the final stage and reached the semi final. In the bout for bronze our athlete defeated Alexandr Huzov wrestler from Belarus with a score 4:3 and became the owner of bronze medal. Arif Kama took gold in this weight category.

21 wrestlers competed in 66 kg weight category. Our representative Elman Asgarov's first opponent was Alexandridis from Greece. Our wrestler held the fight decently and won with a score 7:3. In the following bout Elmn won victory over Italian athlete Martorana Lujay with great superiority. In the semi final his opponent was Turkish athlete Omar Chubugchu. Elman also won this bout easily. The bout in the final with Russian athlete Zaur Boated was held in strenuous conditions. Though, Elman began the bout active he couldn't cope with Zaur. Zaur Botayev became the owner of gold medal. Elman could take silver medal of such great tournament as European Championship.

In 74 kg weight category Elshad Allahverdiyev representing our country in the weight division began the bout with confidence. Elshad having defeated Italian Rinella with a score 6:2 won victory over the wrestler from Romania with a score 4:1 in the second bout and being defeated by this Russian opponent Magomed Isagadjiyev with a score 6:5 had to stop the competition. Arpat Ritter (Hungary) won gold medal in this weight category.

In 84 kg weight Fuad Garayev represented our country. In the first bout he won Sergey Kolesnikov athlete from Israel in points. Our athlete having lost the following two bouts in succession stopped the competition.

In 96 kg weight 19 wrestlers competed for the title of champion. Young wrestler Vusal Muslumov represented our country in this weight category. Vusal having lost the first two bouts and winning victory over athlete from Holland G.Torchinava with a score 8:3.

In 120 kg weight our athlete Mahammad Gerayev lost two bouts in competitions in which competed 15 wrestlers and had to leave the competition. David Musulbes becamethe owner of gold medal in super heavyweight caregory.

Competing in 96 and 120 kg weight categories our wrestlers Vusal Muslumov and Mahammad Gerayev in accordance with points obtained in the competition gained the right to participate in World Championship to be held in Iran in September.

Teams of Russia, Georgia and Turkey occupied I, II, III places according to team points received cups after the awarding ceremony of the participants.