On the late afternoon before the final of the European Club Championships – Champions League 2025, held in Belgrade, we sat down with Mr Stojan Vujko, Vice President of the Serbian Judo Federation, President of the Red Star Judo Club and Chief Executive Officer of Millennium Team, one of the official sponsors of the European Judo Union in 2025. What followed was a compelling discussion about ambition, sporting values, business leadership and Serbia’s growing judo aspirations.
Although Mr Vujko’s personal athletic background lies in water polo rather than judo, his respect for the sport is profound.
“Judo is one of the most honourable sports,” he reflected. “I was never a judoka myself but I respect judo so much. Since 2010, I have been working in sport and I truly believe in what judo represents.”
Under his leadership, Red Star Judo Club has been a permanent fixture on the European podium. “For the last seven years in the Champions League, we have always won a medal,” he noted. “Three bronze, three silver and today we hope it will finally be gold. For us, that would be a dream come true.”
Despite that dream did not materialise this year, Mr Vujko makes one thing clear: Red Star is in it for the long run. “We are not here for one year. We are here all the time.”
The year 2025 marks the first full year of cooperation between Millennium Team and the European Judo Union, an alliance Mr Vujko describes as hugely rewarding. “My experience with the EJU has been perfect. I supported the EJU but in truth, the EJU is supporting Millennium Team even more. I feel we are getting much more back than we give financially and I am grateful for how the EJU promotes the Millennium brand.”
He believes this partnership carries a wider social value. “This is something good for competitors, for children, for the future. I would like to call on other companies to join the EJU. It is important to support something that builds people.”
Millennium Team operates in the construction sector, far removed from sport at first glance. Yet for Mr Vujko, the philosophical connection is undeniable. “It aligns perfectly with judo. We do not have direct profit from this partnership but we gain in serious values. I tell my employees: if you want to be at the top, you must work hard. That is the same in business, the same in sport.”
His message is simple: discipline, endurance and belief form the foundation of both success in sport and success in the corporate world. “If you are a perfect athlete, you can be very good in business. Everything is possible if you never say ‘it cannot be done’. Sport teaches you that.”
While Red Star continues to chase European glory, Serbia’s ambitions extend far beyond the Champions League podium. “We have the biggest possible goals,” Mr Vujko stated. “We are not talking only about Grand Slams, Grand Prix events, European or World medals. Our main target is an Olympic medal in Los Angeles. This is the goal for Serbian judo.”
Reflecting on the excitement of the day in Belgrade, one highlight stood out vividly. “The best moment was when our Maljevic scored against Tushishvili, one of the world’s greatest judoka. It gave us incredible energy.”
He also praised a rare unity in Belgrade’s judo community: Red Star and Partizan, historic rivals, supporting one another from the stands. “That is what judo can give. We support our opponents; we respect them but we want to be better. That is the message of judo.”
Comparing his former sport, water polo, to judo, Mr Vujko smiled. “Water polo is like judo in the water. We fight there too but we are good friends, just like in judo.”
In closing, he expressed his pride in Serbia hosting Europe’s judo elite. “It was a great pleasure to welcome you to Belgrade. We are honoured to host the judo family, and we always love having everyone here.”
Whether in elite sport or major construction ventures, Stojan Vujko embodies the ethos he champions: hard work, respect, loyalty and ambition. His vision for Serbian judo is bold, long-term, yet deeply rooted in belief…, belief that medals, success and national pride are achievable through perseverance.
Author: Szandra Szogedi