More than 400 judo participants so far for Cadet Championships

Five weeks to go for the continent's Cadet Judo Championships in Malta and already, 37 member countries from the 50 in the European Judo Union, have registered more than 400 participants between athletes and delegates.

As expected, the championships will attract huge numbers to the island as the Malta Judo Federation strives to make sure that all visitors will have a memorable experience.

The championships see their beginning in 1995 when the Education Commission of the European Judo Union, at that time still under the leadership of Envic Galea, launched a 'study' on teaching judo to beginners among all member federations.

When the competition stage was being examined, the Medical Commission of the EJU, made up of experienced personnel specialising in various fields of medicine, explained how the 'adult' rules of judo could be harmful at different development stages of a beginner.

This convinced the Education Commission to start the European Cadet Judo Championships under the following conditions:

• To reserve these competitions only to 15- and 16-year-olds;

• Not to change the international rules for this new age category; and

• Apply protective rules by re-introducing the referee's control of the arm lock and not to allow competitors who go unconscious from a strangle, to compete further for their own safety.

Judo is all about education and a way of life.

In fact, as Vladimir Putin once said: "I've been practising judo all my life. I think it's not just a sport but also something of a philosophy that teaches you to treat your opponent with respect."

Russia President Putin is an honorary president of the EJU.