The Peninsula
The Qatar Olympic Committee's (QOC) organising committee of the World Judo Championships – Doha 2023 will unveil its much-anticipated official mascot, ‘Joud’, as part of the National Sport Day (NSD) festivities at Qatar Foundation’s Oxygen Park today.
Joud is a hedgehog who is dressed in judo attire, including a black belt – the highest rank in the sport. Described as ‘a competitor on the tatami judo mat, but a friend off it’, Joud is only interested in winning within the rules.
Judo was created in 1882 by Kano Jigoro Shihan and the first world championships were held in 1956, with a women’s championship added in 1980. Judo became an official Olympic sport in 1964 and the world championship is traditionally held every year, except in years when there are Olympic Games.
The championships were last held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where a Qatari delegation headed by Eid Al Muraikhi, Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the 2023 championships, received the International Judo Federation (IJF) flag. The delegation is confident of a successful event following their knowledge transfer experience in Tashkent.
Abdulhadi Almarri, Marketing, Communication, Opening & Closing Ceremonies Committee Director, said: “National Sport Day is the perfect stage to unveil our World Judo Championships mascot, Joud. We have seen from previous major sporting events how popular mascots are with spectators and participants alike, and there is no better occasion to unveil our mascot than National Sport Day as it brings the whole nation together to celebrate.”
The 2023 World Judo Championships, organized by the IJF and taking place at Ali bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena from May 7-14, will see the participation of more than 500 judoka athletes from more than 90 competing countries. Ali bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena has previously hosted world championships in handball and boxing, and the IJF event is the latest in a long list of world-class sporting events to be held in Qatar.
The Olympic-standard, multipurpose sports hall is equipped with state-of-the-art and sustainable facilities that can hold 7,700 spectators. It boasts restaurants, cafes, and meeting rooms as well as its world-class sports facilities, and also served as a ticket center for the FIFA World Cup.
The arena has a four-star assessment according to the Global Sustainability System (GSAS).
Sport is a central aspect of Qatar’s National Vision 2030, and the country’s passion for sports is evident with over 500 international sporting events held in the past 15 years. Residents of Qatar are invited to join the NSD activities which are designed to celebrate the power of unity in sport and inspire the next generation during the NSD.