Paris Saint-Germain Judo


Paris Saint-Germain Judo, commonly known as PSG Judo, is a French professional judo club founded in 2017, and based in the city of Paris in France. The club is the judo department of Paris Saint-Germain.
PSG Judo was officially formed on 1 September 2017 by Paris Saint-Germain F.C. president Nasser Al-Khelaifi through a press release, which also announced the signing of French judoka star Teddy Riner as the figurehead of the project. Djamel Bouras and Nicolas Mossion, for their part, were named president and technical director of PSG Judo, respectively. Mossion is also one of the club's coaches, the squad's performance manager and the director of the Paris Saint-Germain Judo School.
In September 2018, the club recruited 14 judokas, opened the Paris Saint-Germain Judo School, and inaugurated its Dojo, located in the CMG Sports Club One Italie complex. Initially, PSG Judo was going to be male-only project, but ended up being a mixed-gender team. Currently, the club is composed of 28 judokas: 19 men and 9 women.

History

Initial approach

On 1 September 2017, Paris Saint-Germain Football Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi announced the creation of Paris Saint-Germain Judo, the club's judo department. The press release was accompanied by the signing of French judoka and two-time Olympic champion Teddy Riner to spearhead the project. Riner signed a five-year contract with PSG Judo. The unveiling also saw the appointment of Djamel Bouras as club president, while Nicolas Mossion was named coach and technical director of PSG Judo.
At first, the club was supposed to be composed of a male-only team of judokas of all ages who would engage on tatamis with the aim of being successful in French and international competitions. However, during its first season of existence, Teddy Riner was the only judoka in the club. The judokas contacted to join Riner in the new Parisian project were not convinced by the proposed contractual conditions: one-year fixed-term contracts, accompanied by unattractive salaries. Walide Khyar, Benjamin Axus or Pape Ndiaye notably declined the proposal.

Mixed-gender project

As a result, the club's male-only approach changed. In September 2018, a year after its launch, the club signed 14 judokas to compete alongside Teddy Riner, opened the Paris Saint-Germain Judo School, and inaugurated its Dojo, located in the CMG Sports Club One Italie complex at Porte d'Italie in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. A month later, in December 2018, Julien Boussuge joined as coach, alongside Nicolas Mossion.
PSG Judo began the 2018–19 season with a squad composed of ten male judokas and five female judokas for a total of 15 judokas, including multiple world champion and double Olympic champion Teddy Riner. The female judokas are Faïza Mokdar, Habi Magassa, Lalou Lebrun, Mélanie Vieu, and Carla N’Zossi Elecka; while the male judokas are Heydar Ouchen, Yhonice Goueffon, Joris Agbegnenou, Widdman Laudort, Hugo Metifiot, Eniel Caroly, Tanou Keïta, Christopher Mvuama, Israil Dakayev, and Teddy Riner.
Faïza Mokdar gave the club its first title in September 2018. She was crowned Junior champion after winning the gold medal match at the 2018 European Junior Championships. A month later, Mokdar also became Senior champion at the 2018 1st Division Individual French Senior Championships. In December 2018, PSG Judo men's junior team celebrated its first national team title in this age category at the 2018 French Junior Championships for Club Teams. Other highlights of the 2018–19 season included the three gold medals won by Hugo Metifiot, Eniel Caroly and Tanou Keïta at the 2019 Individual French Junior Championships.
In September 2019, ahead of the 2019–20 season, the club expanded its roster with Ophélie Vellozzi, Laura Espadinha, Juliette Diollot and Martha Fawaz for the women's squad, and Sina Sadroleslami, Antony Duporge, Ahmed-Yacoub Belkahla, Bilel Yousfi and Arnaud Aregba for the men's team. Nabil Hachem, Amaury Assiga, Adam Tazabaev and Abdoullah Khadzhimuradov later joined the male squad in December 2019. Female judoka Clara Wentzler and male judokas Driss Masson Jbilou and Khamzat Saparbaev also signed for PSG in July 2020.

Organization

Sporting club

The aim of PSG Judo parent club Paris Saint-Germain Football Club is to become one of the biggest sporting clubs in the world. The resurrection of this fifth sporting section is part of the club's development strategy. Judo at PSG is not entirely new. The section existed already between 1992 and 2002 with Olympic champions such as David Douillet and Djamel Bouras.

Mission and vision

According to club star Teddy Riner, Paris Saint-Germain Judo has three main objectives: develop the best judokas of tomorrow, including those who will compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris; offer the wider public the chance to practice judo with special courses for women, seniors and children, especially those from underprivileged communities; and launch charity activities through the sport.

School

In a special section of the CMG Sports Club One Italie complex, the Paris Saint-Germain Judo School will operate for all age categories, from 4 years old to adults. The school will be managed by PSG Judo technical director Nicolas Mossion.
According to club president Djamel Bouras, the school will also develop a Judo Solidarity section that will give local youngsters an initiation into the sport. PSG Judo is working closely with other clubs in the region, the Ile-de-France Judo League and the French Judo Federation to help both the club and the sport grow.

Grounds

CMG Dojo

After opening its Judo school in September, PSG Judo president Djamel Bouras, club star Teddy Riner and several representatives of Paris Saint-Germain's other sporting sections came together in the 13th arrondissement of Paris to inaugurate the Dojo of the club's Judo section, where young judokas had been training since the start of the 2018–19 season. PSG male footballers Kylian Mbappé, Layvin Kurzawa and Maxwell, PSG female footballers Laure Boulleau and Ashley Lawrence, PSG handballers Bruno Martini and Daniel Narcisse, and PSG esport players "DaXe" and "Ferra" were amongst those present in the inauguration ceremony.
The home of Paris Saint-Germain's fifth sport is located in a dedicated part of the CMG Sports Club One Italie complex. The 180m² Dojo at the Porte d'Italie is decorated in club colours and houses a Judo school open to everyone, as well as high level training facilities for Teddy Riner and the 14 other judokas.

Paris Saint-Germain Training Center

The Paris Saint-Germain Training Center, sometimes referred to as Campus PSG, located in Poissy, Paris Region, will be the new training ground and sports complex of Paris Saint-Germain. Owned and financed by the club, the venue will bring together PSG's male football, handball and judo teams, as well as the football and handball youth academies. Each division will have its own dedicated facilities. Construction will start in spring 2020 and finish in summer 2022. The capital club will invest between €250m and €300m.

Medals

Team

Current squad

Mélanie Vieu2018–F
Faïza Mokdar2018–F
Lalou Lebrun2018–F
Laura Espadinha2019–F
Ophélie Vellozzi2019–F
Martha Fawaz2019–F
Clara Wentzler2020–F
Carla N’Zossi Elecka2018–F
Juliette Diollot2019–F
Habi Magassa2018–F
Heydar Ouchen2018–M
Yhonice Goueffon2018–M
Ahmed-Yacoub Belkahla2019–M
Antony Duporge2019–M
Driss Masson Jbilou2020–M
Widdman Laudort2018–M
Israil Dakayev2018–M
Sina Sadroleslami2019–M
Hugo Metifiot2018–M
Bilel Yousfi2019–M
Nabil Hachem2019–M
Eniel Caroly2018–M
Arnaud Aregba2019–M
Amaury Assiga2019–M
Adam Tazabaev2019–M
Joris Agbegnenou2018–M
Tanou Keïta2018–M
Christopher Mvuama2018–M
Abdoullah Khadzhimuradov2019–M
Khamzat Saparbaev2020–M
Teddy Riner2017–M

Staff and management

President Djamel Bouras2017–
Technical director Nicolas Mossion2018–
Coaches Nicolas Mossion
Julien Boussuge		2018–
Performance manager Nicolas Mossion2018–
School director Nicolas Mossion2018–