During his opening speech, Mr Vlad Marinescu declared, "Salam alaykum Dushanbe. It is a great honour for the judo family to be in the great city of Dushanbe. The beautiful country of Tajikistan is a country of tradition and culture and we are proud to share this great occasion with you. Today the excellent judo results are fantastic for the country. Judo is a sport of values, culture and tradition, and all are embraced in Dushanbe. We are here for all the top athletes of the world, from 65 countries who are here to compete for important points and medals in this special Olympic year. Thank you to all.”
Then Mr Ismoil Mahmadzoir, took the floor, "Dear Director General of the International Judo Federation, Mr Vlad Marinescu, honoured guests and spectators, the development of sport and physical education in the field of youth education is of paramount importance. It should be noted that the sports policy of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, the leader of the nation, Mr Emomali Rahmon, emphasises the importance of encouraging and supporting Tajik athletes to participate in international competitions.
As you know, Tajik athletes have actively participated in international competitions such as grand prix, grand slams, Asian championships, world championships, and other international tournaments, proudly raising the flag of our country high on the international stage. It is worth noting that our athletes participating in international competitions this year have won 1 gold medal, 1 silver and 3 bronze medals.
It is a source of pride that a judo grand slam competition is being held for the first time in the Republic of Tajikistan. This competition features 390 athletes from 65 countries around the world, competing in 14 weight categories.
I hope that today's competition will pave the way for selected athletes to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028. I believe that the high-level of organisation of today's competitions will promote a healthy lifestyle and strengthen the sporting achievements of our country on the international stage.
Dear guests and friends, I wish you all a pleasant stay and great memories from the capital of sunny Tajikistan, the beautiful city of Dushanbe, and I wish the athletes of the competition good luck and success.
Also, dear friends, I would like to add, as the leader of our nation, His Excellency the president of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, always reminds us at every public event, state and sports events, in Tajikistan and abroad, with these next words which have become a motto for the whole nation: Tojikiston ba pesh!
In conclusion, I would like to say that today's tournament will open new chapters in the history of Tajik sport for future development in this area.”
Then Mr Marinescu took the floor again to declare in the Tajik language, “The Dushanbe Grand Slam 2024 is open!”