The ballroom of Belgrade’s Hyatt Regency Hotel witnessed something special on 20 January, a celebration that bridged generations, honoured legends and set ambitious targets for the future. The Judo Federation of Serbia’s gala evening brought together athletes, coaches, officials and dignitaries to recognise achievements from 2024 and 2025. Still, the…
22 January 2026EJU Marketing Meeting - Belgrade, Serbia
The European Judo Union is delighted to announce the continuation of its partnership with VivaTip, the distinguished medal and awards manufacturer, following a successful collaboration in 2025. The agreement was formalised during the recent EJU marketing meeting in Belgrade, where VivaTip’s Chief Executive Officer, Tomislav Vancas, signed the renewed partnership…
20 January 2026EJU Marketing Meeting - Belgrade, Serbia
When the European Judo Union renewed its partnership with Danrho for 2026, it felt less like a contract signing and more like a continuation of a long-standing friendship. Speaking with Rob Kocheise, CEO of Danrho, it quickly became clear that this relationship goes far beyond logos and banners. It is…
20 January 2026EJU Marketing Meeting - Belgrade, Serbia
MyBacknumber.com, the pioneering force behind personalised judo backnumber systems, has renewed its sponsorship commitment to the European Judo Union for 2026. The official contract signing ceremony took place in Belgrade, where CEO Johann Drews represented the company and shared his reflections on the partnership’s journey and his vision for the…
20 January 2026EJU Marketing Meeting - Belgrade, Serbia
Family businesses operate differently. There is a warmth, a personal investment, a sense that every handshake matters because reputation isn’t just corporate, it is deeply personal. That is Essimo. Founded by husband-and-wife team Patrick and Jacqueline van Kalken, Essimo has grown from its roots into a globally recognised judo brand…
20 January 2026EJU Marketing Meeting - Belgrade, Serbia
Magyar László, CEO of #JudoBacknumber, represented the company at the official contract signing ceremony in Belgrade on 20 January 2026. The partnership between #JudoBacknumber and the EJU continues with the company serving as official sponsor for backnumbers and labels across European competitions. Mr Magyar shared his reflections on the partnership’s…
20 January 2026EJU Marketing Meeting - Belgrade, Serbia
Although Tamás Zahonyi, CEO of Official Backnumber, was unable to attend the official contract signing with the EJU on 20 January in Belgrade, he was delighted to share his reflections as a continued partner for backnumbers and sponsorship labels. The collaboration between Official Backnumber and the European Judo Union has…
20 January 2026EJU Marketing Meeting - Belgrade, Serbia
The Millennium Team served as a cornerstone partner for cadet judo throughout 2025 and in 2026 this partnership continues to flourish as the company maintains its position as title sponsor of the European Judo Cadet Tour. Following the official contract signing in Belgrade on 20 January, Mr Stojan Vujko, CEO…
20 January 2026EJU Marketing Meeting - Belgrade, Serbia
The official contract signing ceremony took place on 20 January 2026 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Belgrade, as current and new EJU partners gathered to reflect on achievements in 2025 and outline objectives for the year ahead. IpponGear, a long-standing EJU partner, continues its commitment to European judo through…
20 January 2026This past weekend, Riga became the focal point for three significant events dedicated to the development and promotion of judo in Latvia. The programme combined educational advancement, the cultivation of Kata and mass participation of schoolchildren, demonstrating the breadth and depth of Latvian judo’s evolution. The weekend opened with an…
20 January 2026European Judo Championships Seniors Tbilisi 2026 Individuals - Tbilisi, Georgia
With fewer than 100 days remaining until Georgia welcomes Europe’s elite judoka, preparations for the European Judo Championships Seniors Tbilisi 2026 are proceeding smoothly. A three-person delegation from the EJU, comprising Catarina Rodrigues, EJU Vice President for Sport, Janity Tibor, Head of Event Management and Broadcasting and Toth Fanni, Assistant…
18 January 2026Episode 1
As the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualification period begins, few coaches carry the weight of expectation quite like Driton Kuka. Sitting down for a friendly conversation at the Mittersill Olympic Training Camp, the man who has guided Kosovo to five Olympic medals, including three golds, across three consecutive Games reflects…
16 January 2026Kata: A Form of Art
The European Judo Union (EJU) has officially confirmed the kata categories and competition system for the upcoming EJU Kata Tour, in line with the standards of the IJF World Series. The tournament will feature senior, junior and cadet divisions, promoting kata development across all age groups. Recognised Kata Categories For…
16 January 2026Erasmus +
The SAFE COMBAT project team gathered in North Macedonia’s capital on 12–13 January for a pivotal transnational project meeting (TPM3), marking a significant step forward in promoting safe and inclusive environments across combat sports and martial arts in Europe. Skopje, which has been at the forefront of sports hosting in…
13 January 2026In Bacău, a modest city in eastern Romania, heroism does not arrive with noise or recognition. It does not wear medals, nor does it seek applause. It wakes up at five in the morning, cooks for a house full of children, checks school attendance, pours concrete at a construction site,…
13 January 2026Pleuni Cornelisse & Hassan Doukkali
There is no judo uniform without a belt, just as there is no bond without the tightness that holds it together. The obi, the traditional Japanese belt, does far more than secure fabric around the body. It binds the judoka’s spirit to their practice, drawing everything inward with purpose and…
10 January 2026Mittersill EJU OTC 2026 - Mittersill, Austria
As the tatami beckons and the world watches, elite judoka stand at the threshold of a defining year, the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games qualification will begin in 161 days. Whether chasing Olympic dreams, world championship gold or the fulfilment of promises made to themselves in the quiet hours before…
9 January 2026Mittersill EJU OTC 2026 - Mittersill, Austria
There are several events that feature on a judoka’s bucket list throughout their career. The obvious ones include the Olympic Games, World Championships and prestigious tournaments such as the Paris Grand Slam. When it comes to Olympic Training Camps (OTC), Mittersill undoubtedly sits at the top of that list. Amongst…
9 January 2026