A Lifetime Behind Judo’s Press Desk

Austrian journalist Josef ‘Jo’ Langer has spent more than five decades documenting judo, following the sport from major championships to the quieter moments that define its community. Having covered over 20 world championships since 1975, he remains one of the sport’s most devoted witnesses.

Langer’s first world championships took place in Vienna, his home country. Among the memories that stayed with him is Jean-Luc Rougé becoming France’s first world champion, a landmark moment he recalls vividly. He was also present at the first women’s world championships in New York, where Austria topped the medal table with three gold medals.

His connection with women’s judo continued in 1984, when the world championships came to Vienna and Langer served as press chief. He has said that Lausanne 2028 is expected to be his final world championships as a journalist, although retirement is unlikely to weaken his passion for the sport.

Jo Langer has followed judo’s biggest stages since the 1970s.

His route into judo began with a desire to cover something different. While football and skiing dominated media attention in Austria, Langer travelled to Budapest for the Hungarian Cup in 1974. His arrival surprised people at the event, but the sport immediately drew him in. Two years later, he stepped onto the tatami himself, and he is now a second dan.

For Langer, the strongest stories are not limited to medal lists. He still remembers Shōzō Fujii’s victory over Bernard Tchoullouyan in Paris, a contest that ended with the crowd standing in appreciation. Fujii then knelt on the podium, kissed it and cried, an image that continues to move the Austrian journalist.

He also highlights judoka whose achievements may receive less attention than Olympic or world titles. Vitaly Pesnyak, a European champion and world medallist, is one such name. In Langer’s view, the Russian was among the strongest in his category, even without claiming the biggest title.

His long list of admired athletes includes European greats Jean-Luc Rougé, David Douillet, Teddy Riner, Ingrid Berghmans, Loretta Cusack-Doyle and Neil Adams. He also remembers meeting Anton Geesink, the Dutch pioneer who became the first non-Japanese Olympic judo champion in Tokyo in 1964. Langer describes Geesink as an imposing but deeply human figure.

In the interview from Baku, Langer described his work for the Judo Vienna Federation and his role on the Executive Committee of the International Sports Press Association, AIPS. During the 2026 world championships, he worked from the press room, taking notes and following the action on screen.

For him, judo’s appeal has always reached beyond competition. He values its respect and ethical dimension, while recognising how much the sport’s presentation has changed over the years. The format may have evolved, but Langer believes judo’s core values have remained intact.

For Jo Langer, every championship is still a chance to learn and remember.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation