The global spread of 'Corona 19' led to an emergency in Korea. The convention was canceled and the competition was opaque. Not only did they compete in the Tokyo Olympics, but they also set the stage for the Olympics.



● Cancellation of Corona Tournament-Entry is not possible due to restrictions on entry

The International Judo Federation canceled the tournament yesterday (four days) just three days before the opening of the Rabat Grand Prix, Morocco. The Moroccan Association has given up on the fears of spreading the corona.

Initially, 15 people were going to participate in this competition including male leader Judo An Paul.

Bad news continued. On the same day, news of the opening of the Yekaterinburg Grand Slam, which opened in Russia on the 13th, also became virtually impossible. Russia says it is mandating two weeks of quarantine for all entrants entering Moscow on flights departing from Korea to prevent the spread of corona.

Even if the 20 national team players who have attempted to participate in the tournament are leaving today (5th), they will be quarantined by 19th and will not be able to enter the competition on the 13th.

The Korean Judo asked for cooperation from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Korea Cultural Center of Russia) and the International Olympic Committee through the Korea Sports Association, but the chances of participating in the competition are low. The only option is to exclude only Korean players from quarantine.



● Olympic competition ranking points are also in place

Due to the failure of the tournament, our team preparing for the Tokyo Olympics was hit by a direct shot. Tickets for the Tokyo Olympics must be ranked in the top 18 Olympic rankings (top 18 by country) as of the end of May. Up to 14 people, 7 men and women, go to Tokyo. However, you need to accumulate more ranking points in order to be in the top 18, and you've lost your chances of earning points as the competition is blocked.

The Moroccan Grand Prix, in particular, was a good competition for points. Since the tournament is lower than Grand Slam, no first-class athletes will compete. It was highly likely that they would enter the medal. It was also an investment for points that players including An Paul tried to play at the Moroccan Grand Prix at their own expense, without receiving state support.

The bigger problem is not being able to participate in the Russian Grand Slam. It's a higher level game than the Grand Prix, so there are more points. Only competitors have the chance to earn points. When competitors score, scores widen the points, making Tokyo even harder.

Currently, Korean athletes in the 4th of 14 men and women are not in the 18th ranking. Men's 81kg, women's -57kg, -63kg, and -70kg are devoted to winning the right to participate. It's a bad thing for the rest of 14 players. You need to maintain the top ranking in the Olympics to receive 'seed' in the Tokyo Olympics. If you don't receive a seed, you'll meet some of the world's greatest players from the beginning of the qualifying or tournament.




● Will I be able to compete in the remaining competitions?

There are only five international competitions that our team can compete before the Tokyo Olympics. Starting with the Georgia Grand Prix in late March, the April Turkey Grand Prix, Mongolia Asia-Oceania Championship, May Baku Grand Slam and Qatar World Masters.

Fortunately, the national team, which was scheduled to be held in Suncheon, at the end of March, was 'indefinitely postponed' in the aftermath of the corona, so it is possible to participate in the Georgia Grand Prix on schedule.

Again, restrictions on entry by host countries can be a challenge. Five countries, Georgia, Turkey, Mongolia, Azerbaijan and Qatar, have banned or quarantined immigrants from Korea. To enter the competition, you must train for two weeks in a third country without self-containment and then move to the venue. Managing players' condition is not easy. In the worst case, you may have to go on a difficult journey, staying abroad from March to May and continuing the competition.