Judo Olympic Test event traditional kickoff for Olympic Games

On Tuesday and Wednesday Rio is testing the Judo Games. AQUECE test event' is the name given to all the test events organised in the run-up to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Each sport included in the Olympic program organise a test event. The beautiful Carioca Arena of the Olympic Park host the 20 delegations (five foreign - France, Great Britain, Germany, Japan and Lebanon - and 15 Brazilian delegations), counting 105 athletes in four weight classes, have gathered in Rio.

IJF Head Sport Director Vladimir Barta: "This is an important first step in organising the Olympic Games. It is crucial for us to see how everything works, and what to improve or adapt to guarantee that this summer's tournament will be a great success. I want also to emphasize the presence of the representatives of the IBSA (International Blind Sports Federation) who will be in operation during the Paralympic Games. We are all working hand in hand."

Juan Carlos Barcos, IJF Head Refereeing Director: "We are putting in place the best group of referees ever. This investment requires a lot of energy by everyone. This test event represents one more step in that preparation. We will also once again be able to test in the conditions of the Olympic Games, our brand new CARE system for our video refereeing.“

French coach Martine Dupond who came with four athletes to Rio: "For us it is interesting and important to see the sports facilities. We will not be in an unknown territory during the Games. We can also take the opportunity to identify the other places that we will need this summer, as the training facility for instance that we will use for our preparation. We can evaluate the transport time and also the whole logistics. From an athlete’s perspective, they are still young people who have everything to discover. This is a first experience. They can learn to manage a long journey, the jet lag, and the recovery. Without a doubt, this will help them throughout their career.”