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Author: Tatjana Flade
The day has come. History was made when the first judoka stepped on to the tatami in the Morača Sports Center on Wednesday 23 April at 10.30am for their contests as the European Championships Seniors opened in Podgorica. Montenegro is not only the first small state in Europe to organise this biggest EJU event but for them it is even the first time to host a senior European Championship in any sport. That is a major step for this young country that gained independence in 2006 and has a population of 633,000 people.
It all started when the new leadership of the National Judo Federation under President Jovica Rečević decided to play an active role. “We had the idea to start with something small,” said Hakan Dogan, the federation’s Director for International Collaboration. “Something small” became quickly the bid for the European Championship 2025 when EJU President Toth Laszlo encouraged the Montenegrin Federation. “We sat down with Dr. Toth Laszlo and talked about our vision and he said‚ why should it be only a vision? Why not think big?’ He saw in us a very motivated, committed team that has the determination and will to really make a difference.”
The government of Montenegro supported the idea, the search for sponsors started. “We didn’t want it to be amateurish. We wanted it to be really professional,” Dogan pointed out. “We spared nothing for the European Championships. We wanted Montenegro and our Judo Federation to be seen, as a small country that is capable of organising such an event.”
The significance for the sport in Montenegro cannot be under-estimated. The Montenegrin Judo Federation celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and now has 44 judo clubs. Thirteen Montenegrin athletes participate in the championship.
“This has a huge meaning for us as we can get a lot of children interested in the sport,” Dogan noted. “We really want to make sure that judo is given a high status and we want to ensure that Montenegro is seen as a country. It is just a beautiful country that has it all, the mountains and the sea, nature and history.”
History is being made right now as well, with more than 400 athletes from 47 countries that flocked to Podgorica to find their new European Champions.
Author: EJU Media