International Judo Federation New President

Sometimes being an only candidate in an election has it pro’s, but when it comes to making tough decisions it can often be quite controversial.

Prior to the start of the Suzuki 2017 World Judo Championship they held the annual election and ironic that the only candidate running was re-elected by acclamation at the IJF Ordinary Congress due to start in the Hungarian capital on Monday (July 28).

Marius Vizer is from Romania and was first elected as President of the IJF in 2007 when he replaced South Korea’s Yong Sung Park.

He told everyone “It is a great honor for me to serve judo together with our team for the next four years and to promote judo’s values to the world and I hope I can offer to you support.”

He continued “together we can develop judo for the next generation and I wish you all a successful World Championships and a wonderful stay in Budapest.”

The Congress in a unanimous vote backed his (Vizer) proposed list for the IJF Executive Committee.

New names that were elected to the Executive Committee includ President of the Azerbaijan Judo Federation Rovnag Abdullayev, and Chief Executive of SOCAR, his country’s state-owned national oil and gas company.

In addition he will be the IJF development manager serving in this position without taking away from other duties.

Britain’s Lisa Allan, the judo competition manager at London 2012, was added to the Executive Committee in her current role as IJF competition manager.

Argentina’s Oscar Cassinerio and Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, President of the Malagasy Judo Federation, joined the Committee as IJF development directors for Pan America and Africa respectively.

Other notable names re-elected to the Executive included Russian oligarch Arkady Rotenberg, a close friend of President Vladimir Putin, the Honorary President of the IJF, as the development manager.

Also on the 15 person Executive Committee is Japan’s Haruki Uemura, winner of the 1976 Olympic Gold medal in the open class was elected as world promotions director.

In his presentation prior to the election, Vizer noted that the IJF had  donated $459,000 (£358,000/€389,000) in 2008 to develop judo in the world but last year saw that figure climb to $2.4 million (£1.9 million/€2.1 million).

The IJF offered just $75,000 (£58,000/€63,000) in prize money for its top events which increased in 2016 to $1.4 million (£1.1 million/€1.2 million) as part of a growing World Judo Tour.

The accounts show at the end of last year, the IJF received $13.7 million (£10.7 million/€11.6 million) in Olympic television rights revenues from Rio 2016.

It contributed to a healthy overall balance sheet, including $31 million (£24 million/€26 million) in cash reserves.

Under Vizer, the IJF have also introduced a series of rule changes to make the sport more appealing to a wider audience.

Since his last election as President at the IJF Congress in Rio de Janeiro in 2013, Vizer had a brief but controversial reign as head of SportAccord, the umbrella group for Olympic and non-Olympic sports now re-named the Global Association Of International Sport Federations.

Vizer resigned as President of SportAccord in 2015 after a controversial speech during which he criticised International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach.

Vizer and Bach have since repaired their relationship and the head of the IOC is due to come here for the closing stages of the World Championships.

Among the new initiatives that he (Vizer) announced a new collaboration with American broadcaster CNN who will air a monthly feature on judo.

A WIN – WIN FOR THE SPORT!!!