Judo Association has received donations of 400 judo mats and 800 judo suits from the International Judo Federation (IJF).
The donation totaling €33,998.00 for Tatamis and 26,195 Euro for judo suits was approved in May, 2023 by IJF President Marius Vizer during the World Judo Championships in Doha.
The equipment which arrived yesterday, 19 March, signifies a major breakthrough for the development of Judo in the country.
JAZ General Secretary, Mabvuto Ngu’ni states that the limitation in equipment has been a major impediment to the growth of the sport in the country.
“This donation is very important and has come at the right time when we are at the phase of implementing our strategic as well as the structure developmental plan,” he said.
With adequate equipment, JAZ plans to establish more judo clubs, extend activities to areas like the Matapala Refugee Camp which has not been visited for the past three years due to equipment challenges, and collaborate with schools such as Kabulonga Boys and other communities.
“We deeply appreciate the support from the IJF and President Marius Vizer, for the commitment to global education and development and on behalf of the association’s president, Alfred Foloko, we are grateful to the Federation,” the GS said.
He added that the support from IJF has been instrumental in the journey of the association.
Additionally, the IJF approved $10,000 for touring the Judo for Peace coordination program across the region, encompassing Zambia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, which ensured the successful implementation of the program’s initiatives.
The association has extended gratitude to the IJF and Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports (NIF) for the unwavering support.
It has also thanked the National Sports Council and Ministry of Youth, Sport and Art, for the assistance in facilitating the duty-free clearance of the equipment into the country.
The donation marks a significant stride toward promoting judo throughout Zambia.
Source: Judo Association of Zambia
