As part of a DJB/Aktion Mensch project, an inclusive judo weekend was held at the competitive sports center in Hamburg.
Two speakers from Bavaria were able to contribute their part.
The Para-Judo area was supported by Christian Zeilermeier (5th Dan), DJB trainer of the year 2022 and the integration officer BJV, Munich 1a/ Obb. Peter Franz brought in training approaches for ID judoka. The judoka from Sportfreunde Harteck Munich had a lot of fun together with the speakers Lennart Sass, Bronze Paralympic Games Paris, Cornelia Claßen, DJB disabled sports speaker ID Judo, Sebastian Junk, DJB disabled sports speaker Para-Judo, Nicholas Schäfer-Menchetti/Berlin, coordinator for people with physical disabilities and the participants.
30 judoka between the ages of 12 and 68 took part in the weekend, which was held for the first time in this form, including ten athletes with visual impairments and seven judoka with a mental disability. Jörg had the furthest journey from London.
Sebastian Junk, DJB event inclusion manager, organized the meeting together with Ms. Maria Deimel and said: “It’s about promoting commonalities and living the values of judo. Respect, honesty, politeness, willingness to help – all of this plays an important role in judo and is also lived here.”
The attempt to organize a joint Para and ID judo weekend with interested trainers from all over Germany was a success. More events like this are needed to ensure inclusion. All participants in the event agreed with this opinion. The author himself was able to experience the everyday tasks that the para-judoka carry out in their lives, accompanied by three visually impaired participants to the main train station in Hamburg City.
Pictures: Peter Franz, Gisela Nüssler
Text: Peter Franz, BJV integration officer, Munich 1a/ Obb.
