The Head of State received President of the International Judo Federation (IJF) Marius Vizer, El.kz news agency reports citing Akorda.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed gratitude to Marius Vizer for his contribution to development of judo.
“I believe that your visit will enhance the cooperation between Kazakhstan and Federation. Today, judo takes a special place in the world sports community. In our country, judo is also very popular. There are many sections, training centers, where over 160 thousand adults and children are engaged in judo. We are very proud that our athlete Eldos Smetov won a gold medal at the recent Olympic Games in Paris," the Head of State said.
For his part, Marius Vizer thanked Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for his personal support in the development of judo in Kazakhstan.
"It is a great honor for me to be here. I would like to express my gratitude to you and Kazakhstan for the support you provide not only to judo, but also to the entire sports movement," said Marius Vizer.
He said that with the support of the International Judo Federation, it is planned to open the IJF Academy in Astana, which will become one of the training centers for high-class coaches and referees in the region.
The participants of the meeting exchanged views on the prospects for long-term cooperation between Kazakhstan and the International Judo Federation, and also discussed preparations for the World Judo Championship, which will be held in 2027 in our country.
In conclusion, President Tokayev awarded Marius Vizer with the 2nd degree Dostyk Order for his contribution to the promotion of judo in Kazakhstan.