International Judo Federation President Marius Vizer and a group of Olympic judo medallists visited Olympic House on Thursday, where they were welcomed by senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials and invited to leave their messages and signatures on the Olympic Wall.
The visit on 27 August came during Lausanne’s first Judo Grand Slam, with athletes from 77 countries across all five continents competing in the Swiss city. The event is also part of the qualification process for the next Olympic Games, giving the visit to Olympic House an added significance for the judoka.
Among those present were IOC Director General Christophe De Kepper and IOC Sports Director Pierre Ducrey. Welcoming Vizer and the athletes, De Kepper thanked the IJF president for his work in developing the sport. “I would like to thank Marius Vizer for bringing judo to the very highest level,” he said.
De Kepper also referred to the Grand Slam taking place in Lausanne and the importance of Olympic qualification. He said it was a memorable moment to welcome the judoka to Olympic House and noted that so many athletes had never signed the Olympic Wall at the same time before.
Olympic House
Vizer, addressing the Olympians, said the visit was both an honour and an opportunity to celebrate the values shared by judo and the Olympic movement. “We are proud to share the Olympic values and to work every day to develop and defend them,” he said. “Thank you for your dedication and commitment. You will always be remembered in our sport.” He also thanked the IOC for making the visit possible.
Lucie Décosse, the French three-time Olympian who won silver at Beijing 2008 and gold at London 2012, was among those who signed the wall. For Décosse, the significance of the occasion went beyond judo.
“It is an honour that we are here. We do not often experience moments like this, moments when we are recognised beyond judo. This is the home of all sports,” Decossee said.
Mohamed Meridja, IJF Education and Coaching Director and an Olympian at the Seoul 1988 Games, also welcomed the gathering. “It is an honour for athletes who have marked the history of the Olympic Games. To see so many great champions adding their signatures here at the IOC is truly wonderful,” he said.
Lucie Décosse
Georgian Olympic medallist Varlam Liparteliani said he was deeply moved by the occasion. “It was a very special feeling. For judoka and for all athletes, the Olympic Games are the most important event. I want to thank Marius Vizer and the IOC for creating this moment. It is an incredible feeling, just like being in a competition,” he said.
Beyond the signatures left on the Olympic Wall, the gathering carried a wider significance for judo and its place within the Olympic family. With the sport’s leading officials and Olympic champions gathered at Olympic House, De Kepper’s public recognition of Vizer’s contribution offered a clear acknowledgement of how far judo has developed.
His words, thanking Vizer for taking judo “to the very highest level”, put the IJF president’s role at the centre of a moment that went beyond a ceremonial visit. The Lausanne Grand Slam provided the sporting backdrop, while the gathering at Olympic House showed the place judo has earned within the Olympic movement.
Marius Vizer
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