Budapest – On Wednesday, June 11, 2025, Algerian Mohamed Meridja was re-elected as a member of the Executive Committee of the International Judo Federation (IJF) during the ordinary congress held in Budapest, Hungary, on the sidelines of the World Judo Championships (Individual, June 13-19), according to the individual concerned.
Meridja will continue his duties within the international body as the Director General of Training and Education, a position he has held since his first term in 2007.
Commenting on his re-election, Meridja told APS in a phone call: “I can only be delighted with my re-election to the IJF Executive Committee, which reflects the desire of global judo leadership to continue working in a spirit of continuity. It is an honor for my country, Algeria, and for Africa as well.”
He added that he will continue, “alongside other members of the IJF Executive Committee, under the leadership of President Marius L. Vizer, to work in service of this sport on a global level. The Executive Committee remains fully committed and always enthusiastic about advancing this sport.”
When asked about his expected contribution to the development of African judo, the Vice-President of the African Judo Union affirmed his unconditional readiness “to further drive sports development and make the promotion of judo in the continent a priority.”
He stated: “Judo has evolved significantly worldwide, particularly in Africa. We will remain committed to education and loyal to this sport at all levels. We will continue to promote judo’s values and encourage excellence within its community.”
Meridja, 65, also holds the position of Honorary President of the Algerian Judo Federation. He acknowledged the continuous support provided by this national body, emphasizing that he remains at its service. He led the federation from 1993 to 2009, a period during which Algeria achieved several milestones, including a bronze medal by the women’s team at the 2005 World Championships in Cairo (Egypt), two world titles, and two Olympic medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
In addition to the Algerian official, the new IJF Executive Committee includes President Marius L. Vizer (Romania, 66), who was unanimously re-elected by representatives of national and continental federations.
In his speech, Vizer thanked the delegates for “their trust, loyalty, cooperation, and support,” stating that he is “more enthusiastic than ever to work for the future of global judo.” He also praised the work of the Executive Committee during the 2021-2025 term, highlighting its commitment and unity throughout that period.
Other elected members of the Executive Committee include: Louisa Agius Galia (Malta), Armin Bagdasarov (Uzbekistan), Vladimir Barta (Czech Republic), Raul Camacho Perez (Spain), Alfred Foloko (Zambia), Kosie Inoue (Japan), Azizjon Kamilov (Uzbekistan), Hedvig Karakas (Hungary), Florin Daniel Lascau (Romania), Rashad Nabiyev (Azerbaijan), Stefan Noumis (France), Estani Bredigon (South Africa), Jean-Luc Rougé (France), Tina Trstenjak (Slovenia), Haruki Uemura (Japan), and Max-Hervé George (France).
The new committee’s tasks will include leading the IJF’s strategic development over the next four years, in the context of judo’s continuous growth on the international stage.
