The Chairman of the Judo Association Moshe Ponti has not yet had time to rest from the successful hosting of the Tel Aviv Grand Slam this weekend, and the very next day, he began working vigorously on the World Championship that will come to Israel in June next year, as first published in "Israel Hayom".
Ponti received a written promise from the chairman of the World Judo Association, Marius Weiser, that he agrees to hold the prestigious competition in Israel, after seeing the success of the series of events hosted by the Israel Judo Association in recent years.
But the promise comes with an asterisk.
The condition for holding the huge event in Israel is high financial guarantees.
The cost of the championship is estimated at approximately NIS 60 million, an amount that includes the franchise, cash prizes, production, security, hall rental, hotels and other expenses.
"Everyone should understand that this is the most prestigious and important event that has happened here to date and mobilize to help," says Ponti in a special interview with Israel Hayom.
"There have been a small number of world championships in Israel, but an event of this magnitude, with the number of athletes, the participating countries and television exposure, has never happened before."
"In the championship held before the Olympic Games in Tokyo, 650 athletes from 118 countries in the world participated. The championship is broadcast to 180 countries in the world that will expose Israel and show how athletes from different parts of the world, including from Arab countries, can compete here without any problem."
How much can hosting a world championship contribute to Israeli judo?
"This will wake up the whole country. We saw how now, almost all day, the hall at the Shlomo Group Hall was filled to the brim with 3,000 spectators. At the World Championship, it will be much bigger and more impressive, so that many more will be exposed to the values of the industry that educates about the values of respect for others , tolerance and self-discipline".
Grand Slam Tel Aviv.
The crowd came in droves, photo: Oren Aharoni
"I believe that after hosting the World Championship, the amount of athletes doing judo here will double, and we will have to import coaches from abroad.
Already today there are not enough coaches, everyone is already busy with 2-3 clubs, the judo coaches in Israel have no problems with making a living."
Why hold the World Championship in Israel just before the Olympics?
"I always said that I intend to bring the world championship in 2024 or 2025. After the Olympics, the world championship has no meaning at all, but just before the Olympics, the championship has great significance for several reasons: the first, everyone who is already within the Olympic criteria, wants to keep their place and not To get out of it - all those who are ranked 12 to 18, are afraid that someone from below will come and do a good result and take them out of the Olympics.
"Another reason, this is their last chance to experience a big competition, to see where their mistakes are, their performance - whether they are ready for the Olympics or not. Oren Samadja won a medal in Barcelona 1992, and before that he also took a bronze medal at the European Championships in May after defeating opponents excellent and then I said he will also take a medal at the Olympics as well."
So what needs to be done for all this to happen?
"Only money. We need to sit down with the Sports Ministry and other government officials who will understand how important this event is, we will recruit sponsors from Israel and Jews from around the world who will help us."
And what will the championship look like?
"We will set up a tournament that will be remembered for many years. We will bring 10,000 spectators every night, we will have a big event for the whole family, we will bring young children who do judo and the heads of the country as a whole to connect with the sport and it will be a huge celebration."
Ponti (left) with Sagi Muki on the podium, photo: Oren Aharoni
"I have no doubt that the championship will take place"
Where do you think the championship should be held, in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem?
"In Tel Aviv, because it's easier for people to get there. I hope the Tel Aviv municipality will help, and if not, then we'll do it in Jerusalem. Everyone will want to host, it's the most important sports event in the industry after the Olympics."
There are many people who are skeptical that this will actually happen.
"I have no doubt that the championship will take place and I will work on it non-stop for the next year and a half. True, there will be many problems along the way and we need to raise the money, but we have gone through quite a few problems here in the last Grand Slam alone, from the funds that did not arrive to the visas for the Iranian refugee delegation, and as much as It's harder, that way it's sweeter at the end. It was worth fighting for everything, to see what went down here this weekend in Tel Aviv."
If we do get the hosting in the end, Qatar, who is hosting this year, should pass the flag to Israel. Do you believe this will happen?
"It's crazy. In every world championship, on the last day, the host country transfers the flag of the world association to the next country, and this time too I believe it will happen. It will be another landmark, that sport prevails over politics."
In the World Judo Championship there are quite a few countries like Lebanon and Kuwait with which Israel has no international relations, do you believe it is possible for them to compete here?
"In recent years, we have brought athletes who have never been to Israel, and this time also athletes from foreign countries will come to see the country. Anyone who is registered in the World Judo Federation and competes in the round competitions will be able to come here, as happened with Said Moulai and now with the Iranian refugee team. There will be no problem , anyone will be able to enter the country, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised me that in the past."
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