On the occasion of the recent OTP Bank World Judo Championships, a DIJF delegation had the honour of meeting with the IJF to discuss the collaboration between the two organisations.
Dr Adam Kosa, President of ICSD (International Committee of Sports for the Deaf), Mr Damien Antoine, Judo Director of ICSD and founder and executive board member of the DIJF (Deaf International Judo Federation), Mr Marek Simcak, founder and executive board member of the DIJF, and Talgat Abdymamynov, CEO and General Secretary of the DIJF met with IJF President Mr Marius Vizer, IJF Secretary General Dr Lisa Allan, and Education and Coaching Director Mr Mohamed Meridja.
With this MoU, the IJF and the DIJF have agreed to develop judo among deaf athletes who meet the deafness criteria as defined by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD). Thus, the IJF will support the DIJF with the development of judo among deaf athletes, residents of the countries affiliated to the IJF, while the organisations will co-operate to study particular features of training sessions and competitions for deaf athletes in judo, including kata. A special focus will be put on DIJF judo competitions and refereeing among deaf athletes at the World Deaf Judo Championships, Deaflympics, World Deaf Children's Games and international tournaments for deaf judo. The IJF will include specialists and coaches of the DIJF judo national teams in the IJF referees' and coaches' training workshops, knowing that events are held according IJF rules.
The agreement between the DIJF and the IJF, and the discussions that took place in Budapest, guarantee that deaf judo has a bright future as part of the global judo community.