Behind the scenes in the Accor Arena Bercy, the draw took place on the afternoon of Friday 6th February, bringing the whole world of judo closer to the first ‘hajime.’
Present at the draw for the International Judo Federation were IJF Secretary General Dr Lisa Allan, IJF Head Sport Director Mr Vladimir Barta and IJF Education Director Mr Florin Daniel Lascau.
The French Judo Federation were represented by France Judo Vice President Mr Mohamed Zouarh, France Judo General Director Mr Sebastien Molesini and France Judo Vice President Mr Anthony Le Daniel.
Dr Lisa Allan opened the first draw of the year, welcoming the judo family present in Paris and those watching online. “Dear judo family, hello from the beautiful city of Paris. We are honoured to be here today with our colleagues from the French Judo Federation. On behalf of International Judo Federation President Mr Marius Vizer and the IJF, we extend a warm welcome to Paris and the first event of the 2026 World Judo Tour."
"We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to France Judo and its president, Mr Stéphane Nomis, for their unwavering commitment, passion and dedication to delivering events of the highest organisational standard. This event brings together our global judo family from every corner of the world, united by shared values, to witness the very best judoka compete in front of the passionate and loyal public that fills the Accor Arena year after year."
A special and sincere thank you to all our member national federations and sponsors for their continued trust and support. We wish everyone a wonderful weekend and an unforgettable celebration of world-class judo.”
France Judo Vice President Mr Mohamed Zouarh took the floor, responding by saying, “Welcome ladies and gentlemen, EC members, Dr Allan and all delegations; a warm welcome to Paris. This draw marks the beginning of an historic edition of the event.
The density of the athletes present promises us an outstanding competition. Behind every name in this draw are years of sacrifice, of training and determination. Paris is ready to vibrate, the crowd are ready to cheer their way through the weekend. At this moment we are ready to break a record in terms of the public in the arena. It is this combination of the passionate public and the judo tournament that makes Paris so special.
We want to thank the whole IJF team for the great collaboration that helps us raise standards of organisation every year; thank you to all who are involved. And now let’s start the draw for the 2026 Paris Grand Slam.”
Following the welcome speeches, delegation information was provided, including logistical information, guidance for reporting manipulation or abuse, weigh-in details and a reminder to look after all belongings as part of keeping everyone safe.
Then, just ahead of the draw itself, Florin Daniel Lascau noted, “In the name of the IJF Referee Commission, we have the honour and pleasure of presenting a selection of the best referees worldwide. Last year we went through a process of updates and feedback and now we are ready to offer athletes and coaches the best possible rules as we head towards the Olympic Games qualification.”
To run the draw, Mr Vladimir Barta conducted proceedings, “Let’s start the draw for the 2026 Paris Grand Slam. We have 488 athletes from 78 countries. Let’s begin!” The draw for the women’s categories then took place.
Mr Barta continued, “It was mentioned before, by Mr Lascau, that it is the start of our Olympic qualification later this year and so we must thank our computer team for all their hard work now and for the year ahead. Let’s continue with the draw for the men’s categories.”
The draw came to a close, the contest order decided, the rivalries assigned. The evening ahead will be one of technical discussions for athletes and coaches, of highly anticipated match-ups for spectators and of statistics for the hardcore judo historians. Paris is ready. Are you?
More information on all draws, entries and profiles can be found on our website, IJF.org, and or comprehensive platform JudoTV.com. Tune in and enjoy the show.