“It is a great pride to have the best French judokas in Occitanie, and in the Pyrénées-Orientales.“Franck Opitz, president of the Occitanie Judo League, was the guest of France Bleu Roussillon this Friday, the opening day of the French judo championships in Perpignan. The event is being held until Sunday, at the exhibition center. Admission is chargeable. Friday and Saturday are the individual championships. Sunday, place for the team events.
More 2,000 spectators are expected all weekend in Perpignan, with judo stars, such as Teddy Riner. A village has also been set up to anticipate the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
500 fewer licensees in the Pyrénées-Orientales
“The Covid has hurt judo“, recognizes Franck Opitz. In the Pyrénées-Orientales, there are currently 2,900 licensees in the clubs of the department. This is 500 less than before the health crisis. “Being a contact sport, judo is particularly affected by the consequences of the epidemic.“
If the situation is “disturbing“, Franck Opitz specifies on the other hand that the clubs in difficulty, in Occitanie, are financially supported by the League. “We have put in place recovery and recovery plans for these clubs“, confirms the president of the Occitanie Judo League.