The Tunis Grand Prix in the Tunisan Press

Judo: Tunis Grand Prix (May 7-9)
Record participation. The IJF Tunis Grand Prix is approaching near. The Tunisian Judo has been eagerly looking forward to this event, mainly because the remarkable results obtained during the last continental and international deadlines. This event is going to be a propitious opportunity to see with one’s own eyes athletes like Miled, Cheikhrouhou, Chedly, Khalfaoui, Jlassis, Ben Hassen and Ghazouani in action at The Palais des Sports d’El Menzah.

The qualification period for the London Olympic Games will be kicked off with the Tunis GP, this is why more than 300 judokas from 47 Nations contra 226 from 31 ones in 2009 will participate to this event, a record participation indeed! While helping our elites, and the regional selections and the young to progress, the initiative of the TJF to organize the Tunis GP for the second consecutive season will certainly favor the mediatization and the development of judo.

Rising revised prices
Without sponsors, the Tunis GP would never have come into being, and the prices would not have been revised and increased from 98000 to 147000 USD. Thus, the winners, finalists and bronze medalists of the 14 Olympic categories (females and males) will respectively get 4500, 3000, and 1500 USD.

It is reminded that each nation is entitled to engage two judokas per category and the organizing country may have up to four, which gives the DTN of the TJF the opportunity to carry out an excellent revision of the total number of athletes, which concerns about 56 judokas.

Cost of the Beijing Olympic Champions’ and the Rotterdam World Champions’ expenses:
Among the novelties of the Tunis 2010 GP, one can notice the judicious change in the number of competition days, three days instead of two, and the decision to bear the lodging costs of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Champions’ and the Rotterdam 2009 World Champions’.

The competition system will be modified since, as was the case during the World Championships and will be the case during the 2012 OG, the repêchages will take place as early as the quarters of final, contrary to 2009 where the K.O. system was applied without any possibility of repêchage.

Draw on May 6 at 2.00 p.m.
From the Tunis GP on, the IJF will introduce a new timing for the control of participating nations and the draw. Consequently, the control of nations will take place on May 5 from 4.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m. and on May 6 from 9.a.m. to 12 noon; the draw will take place on May 6 at 2.00 p.m. The delegations are expected to arrive on May 5 and 6. The Tunis GP will be followed by a training camp that will be organized in a hotel from May 10 to May 13.

We have also come to know that in addition to three delegates from the IJF Referee Commission, the International Judo Federation has nominated 18 international coaches.

Premium for Coaches
As the IJF EC had unanimously approved that coaches should be given a premium, a premium was then allocated to coaches for the first time, during the February 2010 Paris Grand Slam.

Since the beginning of 2009 when the IJF World Circuit started, all the World Championships, the World Masters, the Grand Slam and Grand Prix medal holders have shared a 1, 5 million USD premiums.

Starting from Paris, coaches will receive 20% of the amount of money allocated to medal holders. As far as the Paris Grand Slam is concerned, this means 30.000 USD (20% of the 150.000 USD), and this is the amount of money that will probably be allocated to the Tunis GP.

Tunis GP program:
* Friday 07/05/2010. 10.00 a.m. Preliminaries, and at 5.00p.m. Semifinal, repêchages and finals (Women: -48 and -52 kg, Men: -60 and -66kg).
* Saturday 08/05/2010. : 10.00 a.m. Preliminaries, and at 5.00p.m. Semifinal, repêchages and finals (Women: -57, -63 kg and -70kg, Men: -73 and -88kg)
* Sunday 09/05/2010.: 10.00 a.m. Preliminaries, and at 5.00p.m. Semifinal, repêchages and finals (Women: -78 and +78 kg, Men: -9, -100 and +100kg)