International Judo Federation
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Special Olympics Europe Eurasia (SOEE) and Special Olympics Bosnia and Herzegovina, in partnership with the International Judo Federation (IJF), are proud to launch the Special Olympics Judo Open Sarajevo 2026. The competition will take place in Sarajevo from 25 to 26 September 2026 and will be held alongside the IJF World Championships Veterans and Kata 2026, placing Special Olympics athletes at the heart of a major global celebration of judo.
The event will bring together 130 athletes from approximately 20 countries, with all five Special Olympics ability levels represented. As the first international Special Olympics judo event held in collaboration with the IJF to include athletes across all five ability levels, and integrated into the IJF World Championships for Veterans and Kata, Sarajevo will mark a historic step for the development of adaptive judo.
“As the third major international event hosted in our region this month, the Special Olympics Judo Open Sarajevo 2026 is a powerful demonstration of Special Olympics Europe Eurasia’s commitment to creating high-quality opportunities for athletes of all abilities,” said Sven Albrecht, President and Managing Director of Special Olympics Europe Eurasia. “It is also a remarkable testament to the expertise and dedication of our local team in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This event represents an important opportunity for our movement to grow alongside partners who share our values of inclusion and sportsmanship, such as the International Judo Federation. We are very proud and enthusiastic to be a part of this historic adaptive judo event.”
The event builds on the 2025 Memorandum of Understanding signed between Special Olympics International and the International Judo Federation, which affirmed their shared commitment to expanding opportunities for judoka with intellectual disabilities and advancing inclusion across the sport.
“Since 1968 the Special Olympics organisation has been shining a light on all that is possible when barriers to achievement, health and enjoyment are broken down and we are proud that the International Judo Federation is now an integral part of this essential sporting pathway,” declared Marius L. Vizer, President of the International Judo Federation.
“Sarajevo is a destination which will deliver excellent organisation and warm hospitality, providing our Special Olympics participants with a tried and tested venue, a place for everyone to feel is a home away from home. We are looking forward to sharing this wonderful global event with you in the spirit of inclusion, equity and connectivity; these are principles which underpin our sport and will be celebrated under the perfect spotlight in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is a Central European destination steeped in history, a place of culture and heritage openly shared with the world. Now this incredible city extends arms of friendship to our Special Olympics participants and their coaches.”
Sarajevo’s role as host city also underlines Bosnia and Herzegovina’s growing leadership in inclusive sport. Special Olympics Bosnia and Herzegovina, working closely with the Bosnia and Herzegovina Judo Federation and local partners, will play a central role in delivering an event that combines international sporting excellence with a clear message of inclusion.
“We are very grateful to Special Olympics Europe Eurasia for the trust placed in Special Olympics Bosnia and Herzegovina to host this important event,” commented Kada Delić-Selimović, National Director of Special Olympics Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“It is a great honour for us, especially as this is the first major international Special Olympics competition we are hosting since the Southeast European Friendship Games in 2004. We are proud and excited to welcome more than 240 athletes, coaches, officials and delegation members from across Europe and around the world to Sarajevo. For us, this is much more than a competition—it is an important opportunity to bring international Special Olympics sport and its message of inclusion back to Bosnia and Herzegovina on a major scale.”
Through this historic event, Special Olympics, the IJF and local organisers aim to show that judo can be a model for inclusive sport worldwide. The Special Olympics Judo Open Sarajevo will celebrate athletes not only for their performance on the tatami, but also for the barriers they continue to break for future generations.
