Israel to host European Judo Championships

The European Judo Union has confirmed that Israel will host the 2018 European Judo Championships.

The country hosted the European Under-23 Championships last November in Tel Aviv, with the Israel Judo Association (IJA) claiming the success of that event convinced the EJU to award them the hosting rights for next year’s senior event.

The IJA chairman Moshe Ponte said: “It’s a great honour for us to be chosen as the hosts of such a major sporting event, the country needs to take it on itself to help us, we can’t do this alone.”

Two arenas – the Tel Aviv Convention Center and the Pais Arena in Jerusalem are being suggested as venues, according to Ynet.

Ponte added: “I could list three reasons why it is important for us to host the European Championships next year. First of all, it will be for the first ever time we are hosting a senior European Championships.

“Last year, we hosted a great Under-23 European Championships which everybody enjoyed, all the people and all the countries said it was a great Championship. 

“Secondly, because Israel is going to celebrate their 70th anniversary as a country. In addition, judo is the first sport in Israel.

“In every home, there are one or two children participating in judo and all the families will come to see judo, they love judo, and so surely they will be partners during the event.”