Panagiotis Theodoropoulos, President of the Jiu-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF), said the UAE is a distinguished international model of establishing a strong and prosperous country over 50 years while congratulating the country’s leadership on the occasion.
In a letter addressed to the Emirati people, Theodoropoulos stressed they are lucky to have such a wise leadership and a strong nation that provides them with the best quality of life, which is what they deserve, as they are known for their ambition and determination, as well as their noble values that include tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
In his statement to the press, while attending the first day of the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Championship held today in Jiu-Jitsu Arena in Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi, with the participation of 400 athletes representing 19 Asian countries, he expressed his happiness at the resumption of sporting activities in the region after a period of postponement due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The UAE has again presented a leading global example of turning a challenge into a success story. It has managed to contain the pandemic, vaccinate the majority of its population, and, therefore, led the international sporting world to the recovery period, he added. The UAE has hosted many sporting events and he believed that the resumption of Asian sports will start from this country.
“We can safely say the UAE is becoming the most influential country in this sport. Since Abdul Monem Al Hashimi became president of the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, the sport has progressed considerably, and Asia has become the strongest continent,” Theodoropoulos stressed.
Abu Dhabi has reinforced its position as the capital of jiu-jitsu by hosting both the international and Asian federations, organising major international tournaments and significantly promoting the sport, he added.
He further added that the pandemic has posed a significant challenge to the sport, affirming his happiness at overcoming its repercussions by hosting the championship.
The second challenge is to prepare for the next world championship in Abu Dhabi at the end of October, and then the world games in the United States in 2022, Theodoropoulos said in conclusion.
Source: Emirates News Agency