2016 Commonwealth Judo Congress

The 2016 Commonwealth Judo Association Congress was held on 23rd April 2016 at the Nelson Mandela Metropole University, Summerstrand Campus (South), University Way, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.  

Mr Rick Kenney (SCO) President, welcomed delegates to the Congress, which was the first to be held in mainland Africa. Mr Kenney gave the CJA’s condolences on the death of Harry O’Rourke former President and Fr Jude McKenna, Assistant Sport Director, gave a tribute speech remembering Harry. Mr Kenney gave a verbal report to the Congress on the previous 2 year period since Glasgow 2014 highlighting the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the CJA and the IJF; the success of judo in becoming a Commonwealth Games core sport and the inclusion of judo in the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games to be held in Bahamas. He asked that member nations also support the Northern Ireland Judo Federation in their bid to add judo to the sports programme for the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games in Belfast. 

At the CJA elections, Fr Jude McKenna (ZAM) retired as Assistant Sports Director and Temba Hlasho (RSA) was elected as the new Assistant Sports Director. Mr Kenney thanked Fr McKenna for his many years of service to the CJA and presented him with an engraved clock.

Estony Pridgeon (BOT) was re-elected to the Executive Committee. Both positions are for a 4 year term of office.

They join the incumbent Executive Committee members Dr Mike Callan (ENG); Dr R Briggs (NIR); Mr M Limrick (ENG); Mr E Galea (MLA); Mr S Trikomitis (CYP); Mr A de Souza (NIG); Mr B James (ENG); Mr MM Jaiswal (IND)

The Congress saw the hosts for the 2018 Commonwealth Judo Championships awarded to India with the event to be held in the city of Jaipur. Scotland were outvoted but the Congress agreed to offer the country 2017 for a Championships.  The picture above shows Congress attendees, CJA Executive Committee members and those who made presentations to bid for hosting future CJA Championships.