JUDO

Judo is included in this year’s Global Games programme as a demonstration sport. There will be 15 athletes competing, from three different countries – Portugal, Hungary and France. The biggest promoters of this sport are the French, bringing the largest team of judo players to Liberec – six men and four women. Competitions will take place in five weight categories for men (-66 kg, -73 kg, -81 kg, -90 kg and +90 kg) and three for women (-70 kg, -78 kg and +78 kg).

Judo has a big chance to be included among the full-fledged sport disciplines in the future Games. The unmistakeable sign of this is the First European Championship of the International Sports Federation for People with an Intellectual Disability (INAS-FID) which is to take place in 2010.