Tashkent – International Judo Federation (IJF) President Marius Vizer has arrived in the capital of Uzbekistan. He was greeted at the airport by representatives from the Ministry of Sports, National Olympic Committee, and the country's Judo Federation.

The visit coincides with the "Grand Slam" series tournament scheduled to take place in Tashkent from February 27 to March 1. According to the National Olympic Committee's press service, Marius Vizer will attend the competitions as an honorary guest.

The upcoming tournament is expected to feature around 400 athletes from various countries. The IJF head's itinerary includes participation in the tournament's official events and meetings with the leadership of the republic's sports authorities.

Marius Vizer was born on November 7, 1958, in Romania. After receiving education at a military academy and military school with a specialization in chemistry, he dedicated his life to sports. His judo journey began at age 16, and from 1982 to 1988, he successfully engaged in coaching and teaching activities at a sports school in Oradea. Among his students are junior world champion Alexandru Lungu and world and European championship medalist Adrian Croitoru.

In 1988, Marius Vizer emigrated to Austria, where he established himself as a businessman while continuing to actively participate in global judo. Rising from president of the Romanian national federation to head of the European Judo Union, he was elected president of the International Judo Federation (IJF) in 2007. He also led the international association "SportAccord" from 2013 to 2015.

As head of the IJF, Marius Vizer initiated a series of large-scale reforms aimed at popularizing judo. Under his leadership:

Source: podrobno.uz