A challenging year has come to an end, and with it the summary of one of the biggest sporting competitions held in 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. For our younger athletes, the Junior and U23 European Judo Championships 2020 were held in Poreč, Croatia.
During the final review of the competition in 2020, the European Judo Union; the Croatian Olympic Committee and the Croatian Judo Federation thanked the director of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, Dr. Krunoslav Capak, and the Assistant Minister of the Interior of Republic Croatia, Dr. Damir Trut, for their cooperation during one of the the most comprehensive sporting projects in Europe during the pandemic in 2020, and for future cooperation in 2021.
We are proud that judo has managed to show the way for the whole sport. We believed in the team in Croatia, they expanded it with top experts in all areas where we needed reinforcements and the result is phenomenal. Croatia has become an example to everyone in Europe and we believe it will continue on that path. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Mr. Capak and Mr. Trut, as well as to all other experts for allowing us to show our readiness to organize such a demanding event in Poreč.
Hrvoje Lindi, EJU Sport director
Approaching the end of the yer, we are realising the extent of the challenge that 2020 has dealt, yet one of the main talking points is still the “Poreč bubble”, the organisation of the Junior and U23 European Judo Championships.
Despite the understandable, initial caution of experts regarding the organisation of such large competitions, openness and emphasis on professional approach and the desire of Mr. Capak and Mr. Trut to continue with activities, were key in the successful organisation of events in Poreč.
President of the Croatian Judo Federation, Dr. Sanda Čorak, pointing out that out of 1587 tested persons, all those who entered the “Poreč bubble”, in the Plava laguna Porec complex, only eight were positive and were placed in self-isolation.
At the beginning we were sceptical, but people from Croatian Judo organizations showed with every email and every telephone call that they want to comply with all necessary measures and confirmed that it is possible.
Damir Trut received a thank you from Ana Krauthacker, Assistant Secretary General of Croatian Judo Federation for COVID measures, who said on that occasion:
We are grateful to all the leaders of the national and regional health institutions and their employees for their unconditional support in achieving judo and social goals. The most important thing is the protection of the local population, protection of the athletes and respect for measures, while having a good and quality organization of European championships in Poreč, Croatia.
Author: Sören Starke