Andria – Tokyo will be his second Olympics as a director of the International Judo Federation (IJF). He is Antonio Ernesto, 40 years old from Andria, with a long career as an athlete of the noble martial art, studded with various Italian and international titles and over three hundred summons with the national team. For about ten years he has left the tatami, but not the sports world.
From kimono to tie, from athlete to manager, a significant step for Ernesto, who in 2015 came to fill a role of great prestige and for the first time entrusted to an Italian. Another Apulian, therefore, is ready to land in Japan, at the head of the protocol of the International Judo Federation (IJF), one of the most prestigious of the IOC, the International Olympic Committee. And judo will be the master in the land of the Rising Sun, where it has always been the most practiced and followed national sport.
«I am particularly happy with the participation in the five circles event – explains Antonio Ernesto – because with the anti-covid restrictions, the number of members for each federation has been greatly reduced. Well, for my delicate role, the IJF has decided to confirm my presence, thanks to the experience accumulated at the previous Rio Olympics and in other international events. In Japan, the IJF is keen to leave its mark. Suffice it to say that the honorary president of the IJF is Vladimir Putin, and among the international ambassadors there are the Cuban Antonio Castro (son of Fidel) and our Al Bano. In the role of head of protocol I relate to the media, federations and governments around the world. Our headquarters is Lausanne, but my offices are in Budapest. Every year, I find myself working in at least 30 different countries with constant movements around the planet, but as soon as I can, I go back to my beloved Andria. I will be in Tokyo on 20 July, while the races will start on 23 July ».
In over 25 years of competitive activity, his name jumped to the headlines also because he was one of the few Italians to overcome a Japanese, in an international final. «I miss the tatami – adds Ernesto – but I continue to train after a life dedicated to judo, and fifteen years wearing the uniform of the Carabinieri sports center. Now, however, I am focused on this new job which is already giving me satisfaction ».
