On the 23rd of November 2024 during the 76th EJU Ordinary Congress in Budapest, Hungary, the new Executive Committee was announced for the coming period.
For the first time in European Judo Union history, the Executive Committee can boast of two female Vice Presidents; Catarina RODRIGUES for Sport and Kristiina PEKKOLA for Education.
The team is welcoming new, and additional members as we lead forward in to 2025 and those announced by President, Dr Laszlo TOTH. Following the Congress, the team will look like;
Vice Presidents: Ivan TODOROV (SRB/Marketing), Catarina RODRIGUES (POR/Sport), Kristiina PEKKOLA (SWE/Education)
Development Directors: Giuseppe MATERA (ITA), Moshe PONTE (ISR), Branislav CRNOGORAC (BIH)
Education Directors: Gévrise EMANE (FRA), Teodor Adrian POP (GER), Ronnie SAEZ (GBR)
Marketing Directors: Oleksandr NAGIBIN (UKR), Jacek ZAWADKA (POL)
Head Refereeing Director: Alexandr JATSKEVITCH (LAT)
Referee Education Director: Juan Carlos BARCOS NAGORE (ESP)
Head Sports Director: Urska ZOLNIR JUGOVAR (SLO)
Sport Directors: Sezer HUYSUZ (TUR), David KEVKHISHVILI (GEO), Agron KUKA (KOS)
General Treasurer: Envic GALEA (MLT)
General Secretary: Martin POIGER (AUT)
President Toth addressed the national federations in attendance,
Thank you for your support in the past 900 days, I would like us to continue working hard together as a family. I think we can celebrate the close cooperation with the IJF, it is my goal that we are a part of the IJF, we follow their direction and ideals and my thanks go the President of IJF, Mr Marius VIZER. We have strengthened our team, including more nations; Germany, France, Georgia, Italy and Spain, and we can be proud of the Olympic medallists and experts included in the team; Urska Zolnir Jugovar, Gevrise Emane, Ivan Todorov, Alexandr Jatskevitch, Sezer Huysuz, Moshe Ponte and David Kevkhishvili.
Many will remain the same however we have some very valuable additions, both knowledgable judoka and professionals who will continue in the endeavour to promote and build the sport of judo. Gevrise Emane brings a wealth of knowledge, formed first as a judoka,
I feel really happy, it is new for me, a big step and I hope that together I will make a really good job with my EJU colleagues. I think it is a good thing to have new faces, good for the development of judo. First I will speak with our Vice President for Education, Kristiina Pekkola, then I will propose my ideas and see if they align with the goals of the team and hopefully be able to implement them along with the great initiatives they already have.
For Teodor Pop, it feels like a return home, and having worked in judo for many years, he will join Emane as an education director,
I am very honoured and satisfied to be re-elected as an EC member, and in a way it is a return for me after 20 years. I am really looking forward to being a part of the team, to strengthen judo through education. I hope that we can instil the judo values in every member of our family.
There are certainly strength in numbers, and with extra emphasis on education in recent times, additional members align with the future goals of the European Judo Union.
Author: Thea Cowen