The World Championship will be held, between June 13 and 20, in Budapest. It will feature Judocas Catarina Costa (-48 kg), Taís Pina (-70 kg), Patrícia Sampaio (-78 kg), Miguel Gago (-66 kg), Otari Kvantidze (-73 kg), João Fernando (-81 kg) and Jorge Fonseca (-100 kg).
“The Portuguese Judo Federation (FPJ) informs that it will be raised the suspension that prevented the participation of Portuguese athletes in international events under national representationincluding the world championship that takes place next week in Budapest, “the body told Lusa.
The reversal of the situation resulted from a Meeting on Wednesday in Budapestin Hungary, between the president of the FPJ, Sérgio Pina, representatives of the International Federation, and the president of the Portugal Olympic Committee, Fernando Gomes.
In the worlds of Budapest, which are held between June 13 and 20Portugal will have the judokas Catarina Costa (-48 kg), Taís Pina (-70 kg), Patrícia Sampaio (-78 kg), Miguel Gago (-66 kg), Otari Kvantidze (-73 kg), João Fernando (-81 kg) and Jorge Fonseca (-100 kg).
What led to the suspension?
FPJ President Joaquim Sérgio Pina explains that they are in question from 2021, when Jorge Fernandes was the federation leader.
“In 2021, a Grand Prix from Portugal, which would last for four years, and a world championship of juniors were contracted. And for these events, a letter of comfort was never asked to whom in the guardianship,” says Sérgio Pina, claiming that he entered the FPJ with these championships to pay.
When he assumed, he admits that he “was aware” of debts with the International Judo Federation and reveals that he tried to “make a plan” to quite them. The 2025 Grand Prix has been canceled due to financial problems.
“We are trying, along with the guardianship, to get support so that the debt is tried,” says the president of the FPJ, who says he has already talked to the Secretary of State for Sports, the Portuguese Youth Institute and also with Fernando Gomes.
Faj is missing something “worth 800 thousand euros”says Sérgio Pina.
Former president says he left everything paid
The previous president of the body, Jorge Fernandes, deprived in December 2022, clarified Lusa “Having nothing to do with the situation”explaining the accounts left when the mandate ceased.
“I have nothing to do with it, I left for two and a half years. In December 2022, I left. In January 2023, with the Grand Prix de Portugal, there is a debt of 250,000 euros to IJF. A amount to be paid only at the end of the event,” the former president began.
