Lausanne Ceremony Connects Judo’s Olympic Generations

Olympic judoka gathered at Olympic House in Lausanne for a ceremony that placed judo’s past, present and future side by side. Ahead of the Ecole Mont-Olivet Lausanne Grand Slam 2026, athletes and International Judo Federation officials signed the Olympians Wall at the International Olympic Committee headquarters.

The group, led by IJF President Marius Vizer, was described as the largest delegation of judoka ever welcomed for this symbolic occasion. The wall carries the signatures of athletes from every Summer and Winter Olympic sport, marking their connection to the wider Olympic family.

For the judoka present, the moment represented more than adding a name to a wall. Former Olympians stood alongside active competitors, including athletes with Olympic experience and others continuing their journey towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Several members of the delegation were also due to compete at the Lausanne Grand Slam that weekend.

At Olympic House, judo’s shared Olympic journey came into sharp focus.

IOC Director General Christophe De Kepper praised Vizer’s work in raising judo to the highest level, while IOC Sports Director Pierre Ducrey highlighted the scale of the delegation. Ducrey noted that Lausanne was hosting an Olympic judo qualification event and said such a large group signing the wall together had not happened before.

European judo was represented by Lucie Décosse of France, a three-time world champion and Olympic champion. She described the occasion as an honour and stressed the meaning of being recognised in the international home of all sports, beyond judo itself.

Georgia’s Varlam Liparteliani, an Olympic medallist, also spoke about the emotional weight of the ceremony. For him, the Olympic Games remain the biggest event for judoka and athletes across sport, and the visit to Olympic House carried a feeling comparable to competition.

Mohamed Meridja, the IJF Education and Coaching Director and a Seoul 1988 Olympian, reflected on seeing so many champions sign their names together. The ceremony brought together athletes who had once met on the tatami and later became coaches, sporting leaders and friends.

The setting added another layer to the occasion. Olympic House, inaugurated in 2019, is the IOC’s headquarters and reflects the Olympic Movement’s focus on symbolism, sustainability and flexibility. On this morning in Lausanne, it became a meeting point for generations of judoka linked by Olympic experience, ambition and the values they share through sport.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation