Discover THE DRAW of the Tel Aviv Grand Slam 2023
In Tel Aviv, just like the French athletes in Paris, performances will be fuelled by the will to satisfy the audience, both online and in the venue.
Disappointment will be felt in unison; athletes, coaches, crowd and teammates all moving together. Winners will be celebrated but actually, in Tel Aviv, those who lose will also be celebrated as the judoka are stars and are loved by their public.
With the energy and enthusiasm understood it is sensible to guess that unseeded Israeli’s will cause problems for seeded athletes, just like Badash did in Jerusalem in December, throwing Albayrak (TUR) unexpectedly for two waza-ari. He’s 21 and has already found evidence that he can do great things. He and other youngsters in the team must not be underestimated. They are not dark horses or underdogs, not when they come out to play at home.
Peter Paltchik was present at the draw, representing the Israel Judo Association and he explained some of the attachment to judo, “I really like to fight here. Judo means so much to me. It saved my life and I will explain about this more in the future but for today it is just necessary to know that it is special to fight at home. I love to be here, encouraging more people to be involved in this sport that I love. It’s the best sport because of the values. I see so many children coming to these events and encouraging us, with a powerful and positive energy and so this is truly reciprocated. I wish everyone good luck not just for the tournament and results but to have the chance to feel the spirit of judo in Israel.”
During the official draw for #JudoTelAviv Noam Greenberg, CEO of the Israel Judo Federation declared, "Dear IJF family and all the judo family, shalom! We welcome you all to the Tel Aviv Grand Slam 2023. This is the eighth international judo event we host in Israel and we are honoured to do it yearly. On behalf of the Israel Judo Federation, I want to thank the IJF family, the IJF staff and especially Mr Vizer for the constant support offered to Israeli judo. Marius, your vision of judo is a true inspiration for all of us and your friendship and support are more than appreciated. Special thanks to the Israeli staff for their incredible hard work. I want to thank Mr Miki Zohar, the Minister of Sport and Culture, his team, as well as Mr Ron Huldai, the Mayor of Tel Aviv, and his staff. I am sure that we will have a fantastic event. Good luck all and welcome to Israel."
Just before Mr Greenberg's welcome speech, Dr Lisa Allan, IJF Events Director, said, "Dear judo family as you know both Türkiye and Syria, were recently hit by a devastating earthquake that claimed tens of thousands of lives, left many more homeless and with millions of survivors waiting for aid. On the occasion of the official draw of the competition, we want to express our deepest condolences to the Turkish and Syrian people and to acknowledge that the judo family stands side by side with those affected. I ask that you join us for a moment of silence.
Since 2015 we have had a Judo for Peace project in the Kilis region and this area was badly affected. We, in co-ordination with the Turkish Judo Federation, are collecting donations via our website." (https://donate.ijf.org/)
That welcome is felt by all; it is heart-felt. Spirit plays such a big role at all judo competitions and at all levels but often this spirit can be quashed by a lack of knowledge of the rules. No matter how spirited and determined a judoka or a team may be, inaccurate application of the rules can turn the tide and yield a negative outcome.
With this in mind, the IJF referees continue to meet, under the guidance of the IJF Head Referee Directors and Referee Supervisors, prior to each World Judo Tour event. In Tel Aviv there was a particular focus on the application of kansetsu-waza; how and when to reward or penalise according to the rules written to keep the athletes safe.
Details are important and to make a fair and timely decision takes a great deal of reviewing, shared education, discussion and practice, combined with the assistance of technology. The fine line between throwing with an armlock in place and simply throwing is not always easily deciphered. Checking from a variety of angles, reviewing the kumi-kata, the direction of attack, the exact timing of the beginning of ne-waza and many other factors must be considered.
Passion must never supersede safety. A love of judo must always be exhibited with fair play, respect and education. Passion and respect come hand in hand to form the perfect alliance to draw the essential outline of the spirit of judo.
It is with this spirit, in line with the passion for the sport, that the Tel Aviv Grand Slam 2023 is about to begin. Follow the action live at https://live.ijf.org/
The event will begin on Thursday and Friday at 10:00am and on Saturday at 11:00am, with the final block commencing each day at 17:00 local time.