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\n\t\t\tFrom left to right, Christelle Luisier Brodard, Damien Antoine, Marius Vizer, Sergei Aschwanden and \u00c9milie Moeschler.\n\t\t<\/p>\n
These were the central words of International Judo Federation President Mr Marius Vizer as he declared the Ecole Mont-Olivet Lausanne Grand Slam 2026 open. More than a sporting occasion, the ceremony celebrated an historic first, a grand slam in which elite judo and adapted judo shared the same arena, the same tatami and the same values.<\/p>\n
Mr Vizer underlined the wider significance of an event held in the Olympic Capital, thanking the city of Lausanne, the canton of Vaud, the International Olympic Committee, the international federations, Swiss Judo and all partners for their support. He linked this spirit of unity directly to the signing, earlier in the day, of the agreement for Lausanne to host the 2028 World Judo Championships. \u201cIt is one of the reasons why we have signed for the organisation of the 2028 World Championships in Lausanne,\u201d he said. \u201cThank you and congratulations to all of you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t \n\t\t\tMarius Vizer, IJF President.\n\t\t<\/p>\n The ceremony opened with a video conveying a simple belief at the heart of judo: no-one grows alone. Through education, inclusion, solidarity and peace, the IJF brings together children, adapted judo athletes, refugees and people from every background around the same values. In Lausanne, that vision became tangible; different lives and different journeys but one judo family in which everyone has a place.<\/p>\n Inclusion was then given a powerful expression on the tatami through a kata demonstration by Petra Oreskovic of Croatia and double world champion Joshiro Maruyama of Japan. Oreskovic, the first athlete with cerebral palsy who cannot walk to obtain a black belt, delivered a moving performance alongside one of the sport\u2019s great technicians. It set the tone for a ceremony in which inclusion was not presented as an ideal but as a lived reality.<\/p>\n \t \n\t\t\tKata demonstration.\n\t\t<\/p>\n Double Olympic champion, four-time world champion, European champion, IJF Hall of Fame member and Ambassador of the Ecole Mont-Olivet Lausanne Grand Slam 2026, Mr David Douillet was welcomed to the stage. Deeply moved, he said, \u201cThis is the first competition that reflects what life itself should be. It brought tears to my eyes. We live together. There is no longer any disability, there are only judoka. There are no disabled people and no able-bodied people, there are only judoka.\u201d<\/p>\n He added, \u201cThis is the meaning of life. What we have just seen is the modernity of judo. We judoka are pioneers and I am proud that, under the leadership of Marius Vizer and Sergei Aschwanden, we have been able to fulfil this dream of bringing these two worlds together and creating such a wonderful spectacle.\u201d<\/p>\n A special video message from Japanese judo legend Mr Yasuhiro Yamashita brought further depth to the moment. Following a serious accident three years ago, Yamashita now uses a wheelchair, \u201cI offer my heartfelt congratulations for the first-ever Mont-Olivet inclusive grand slam in Lausanne,\u201d he said. \u201cThis event truly embodies the philosophy of Judo for All.<\/p>\n
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