"Yesterday was the first day of competition at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and we can already say that it was amazing. The venue was full all day long and it makes such a difference when you have an enthusiastic audience.
The atmosphere was electric and in such a positive way. I believe that this is due to the passion of the public for the sport and also because of the quality of the judo that was produced by all the athletes.
There were hardly any penalties during the day. The commitment to produce beautiful technique is full from everyone and they made watching judo really enjoyable.
I am also very impressed by the special camaraderie between the judoka. It's so nice to see how friendly they are even after a hard contest. It's all about respect.
From an organisational point of view, I can say that everything is going really well and very smoothly. When there is an issue, it is solved immediately. That's why we are here and together with IBSA Judo and the organising committee we find efficient solutions for everything.
Generally speaking, everything is going well. The collaboration between our respective organisations is very good and I believe that the stories that come out of this event are simply great. I also think that regardless of who the international federation is, the sport is judo. During the Paralympics it's IBSA and IBSA judo, under the umbrella of the IPC, who are in charge, but what we want is that all athletes can have a fair and transparent competition. This is why the IJF is bringing all its expertise and ressources.
We have had a strong partnership with IBSA Judo for many years and it works really well. The development of judo is our 'raison d'être.’ Everyone here is passionate about judo, everyone loves the sport. We all want athletes to perform and the public to enjoy; we also want good TV coverage. We have all those ingredients here in Paris. I am really happy about it. Yesterday we also enjoyed really good refereeing and that is important for a great judo show.
I want to give a big thank you to everyone for the hard work put in to deliver such a great event. At all levels, many people worked tirelessly to make sure that Paris 2024 would be a success and even if we have two more days to go, it is already a big success.
We are one team, one sport!"