Grand Slam Antalya without German team

The Grand Slam in Antalya will take place without German athletes. The DJB canceled participation in order to protect the health of the athletes. Last week the Grand Slam took place in Tbilisi, in which the DJB team was originally supposed to take part. However, when entering the bubble at the Grand Slam in Tbilisi, several German athletes were tested positive for Covid-19 by the IJF.

At the Grand Slam in Antalya 442 athletes from 93 countries take part starting on Thursday with 270 men and 172 women in the starting grid with 48 men in the U81kg category and 46 athletes in U66kg. In the women's division the U70kg has a crowded field with 29 women. In the previous Grand Prix in Antalya in 2019, the two German rivals for a spot in Tokyo battled in the semi final.

The German athletes were infected with the virus at a training camp in Georgia, in which several nations took part at the invitation of the Georgian association.

"The security concept of the IJF has obviously proven itself," says Frank Doetsch, spokesman for the DJB board. "All team members were isolated before they even entered the protected area, so that no further Covid-19 cases occurred at the Grand Slam."

Five team members are currently still in quarantine in Tbilisi and have to wait until they can travel to Germany again after a negative test. Medical care is provided by the Georgian Association in cooperation with the medical department of the IJF. The DJB is in close contact with the athletes and will initiate the return journey as soon as possible after approval. These and the other five infected athletes who are already in Germany are doing well under the circumstances. If anything, only cold-like symptoms have developed. Under the responsibility of the DJB Sports Medicine, a few more tests are planned after full recovery before the athletes can start training again in an appropriately dosed manner.

With this in mind, the DJB will not start in Antalya. "In order to protect the health of the athletes with the increasing corona numbers, the DJB decided to cancel the planned participation in the Grand Slam in Antalya."

The DJB team will probably start again at the European Championships in Portugal and will try to achieve important points for the Olympic qualification at the last Grand Slam in Kazan / Russia. However, training camps abroad with other teams will be suspended until further notice. The preparation will take place in Germany, if necessary with invitation from selected nations and in compliance with a strict hygiene concept.

Also the French women's team was kept out of the Grand Slam for safety reasons. Watch the 442 judoka in Antalya.