Paris Saint-Germain Judo

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.[1] The unveiling also saw the appointment of Djamel Bouras as club president, while Nicolas Mossion was named coach and technical director of PSG Judo.[2][3] Judo at the club is not entirely new. The section existed already between 1992 and 2002 (now Paris Judo) with Olympic champions such as David Douillet and Djamel Bouras.[4]

At first, this new version of PSG Judo was supposed to be composed of a male-only team of judokas of all ages.[1] Teddy Riner was the club's sole judoka during its first year. The other 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 (less than 4,000 euros a month). Walide Khyar (European −60 kg champion), Benjamin Axus (French −73 kg champion) or Pape Ndiaye (French −81 kg champion) notably declined the proposal.[5]

As a result, the club's male-only approach changed.[5] In September 2018, a year after its launch, the club signed 14 judokas (nine men and five women) 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.[6] In December 2018, Julien Boussuge joined as coach, alongside Nicolas Mossion.[7]

PSG Judo started out 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.[6] 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.[6][4][8]

Faïza Mokdar gave the club its first title in September 2018.[9][10] She was crowned Junior champion (−52 kg) after winning the gold medal match at the 2018 European Junior Championships.[10] In December 2018, Mokdar also became Senior champion (−52 kg) at the 2018 French 1st Division Senior Individual Championships. That same month, 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 included the three gold medals won by Hugo Metifiot (−73 kg), Eniel Caroly (−90 kg) and Tanou Keïta (−100 kg) at the 2019 French Junior Individual Championships.[9] Mokdar also retained her continental crown at the 2019 European Junior Championships.[11]

In September 2019, 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.[12] Nabil Hachem, Amaury Assiga, Adam Tazabaev and Abdoullah Khadzhimuradov also joined the male squad in December 2019.[13] During the second half of 2020, the club announced the signatures of female judokas Clara Wentzler, Lou-Anne Brustel, Marie-Ève Gahié and Romane Dicko as well as those of male judokas Driss Masson Jbilou, Khamzat Saparbaev, Alpha Djalo, Vang-Si Nzaou, Benjamin Gomes, Hugo Tchorowski and Luca Otmane.[14][15][16][17][18][19]

Faïza Mokdar secured her third continental −52 kg title in a row at the 2020 European Junior Championships in November 2020. Crowned champion in 2018 and 2019 as well, she became only the eighth judoka to conquer three European junior gold medals. Teammate Ophélie Vellozzi was close to the −57 kg title, but had to settle for the silver medal after narrowly losing in the final.[20] The club's third and last judoka in this tournament, Habi Magassa (−78 kg), also reached the podium in Croatia, claiming the bronze medal for her first international selection.[21] For their part, Mélanie Vieu, Marie-Ève Gahié and Romane Dicko handed PSG Judo its first medals in the European Under-23 Championships and European Senior Championships. Vieu won gold at the 2020 Under-23s, while Gahié and Dicko both made it to the podium at the 2020 Seniors Championships to collect the bronze and gold medals, respectively.[22][23][24]

Teddy Riner and Romane Dicko made their 2021 debut by being crowned heavyweight champions at the Doha Judo World Masters in January.[25] Dicko claimed another heavyweight title at the 2021 Judo Grand Slam Tel Aviv the following month,[26] while Marie-Ève Gahié won the middleweight bronze medal in that same competition.[27] In May, Dicko added a heavyweight gold medal to the club's trophy cabinet at the 2021 Judo Grand Slam Kazan.[28] Riner and Dicko continued their good form with two bronze medals at the 2020 Summer Olympics in August.[29] In contrast to the club's success on the international stage, its transfer activity was relatively quiet this time around. French judoka Amandine Buchard was the only new addition to the roster in 2021.[30]

Already triple European champion (2018, 2019 and 2020), Faïza Mokdar, now competing in the −57 kg category, concluded her junior years with a French judo record fourth consecutive continental medal, claiming silver at the 2021 European Junior Championships in September.[31] Likewise, Arnaud Aregba (−81 kg) also clinched the silver medal in his first appearance in the competition,[32] while the club's mixed junior team conquered its maiden continental title.[33] Later that month, Mélanie Vieu won silver at the 2021 Judo Grand Prix Zagreb, her first medal in a tournament on the senior international circuit.[34] In October 2021, Mokdar finished third on the podium at the 2021 World Judo Juniors Championships, giving PSG Judo its first individual international medal in this age category.[35]

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 2018.[4][8]

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.[8]

The home of PSG's fifth sport section is located in a dedicated part of the CMG Sports Club One Italie complex. Decorated in club colours, the 180m² Dojo at the Porte d'Italie houses the Paris Saint-Germain Judo School as well as high level training facilities for Teddy Riner and the 14 other judokas.[8] The school is open to all age categories, from 4 years old to adults, and is managed by PSG Judo technical director Nicolas Mossion.[6][3][36]

The Paris Saint-Germain Training Center, located in Poissy, Paris Region, will be PSG Judo's new training ground and sports complex.[37][38][39] Owned and financed by parent club Paris Saint-Germain, the venue will bring together its male football, handball and judo teams as well as the football and handball academies.[37][40] Each division will have its own dedicated facilities.[41] Construction began in February 2020 and is expected to end in June 2023.[42][43] The capital club will invest around €350m.[44]