Action of the German Judo Federation at the 1st JC Mönchengladbach
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In this way, sport can give refugees hope
Vahid Sarlak is originally from Iran, he has been with 1. JC Mönchengladbach for over ten years – now as a coach.
Photo: Tom Ostermann
Judo The DJB “Welcome to Judo” campaign for refugees will take place next Friday at the 1st JC Mönchengladbach. Coach Vahid Sarlak, who himself fled Iran more than ten years ago, also wants to help people with his story.
Miad Nosrati, Badr Aldin Alsbini, Ahmad Alerksosi, Vahid Sarlak: They all have one thing in common. All four have left their homes and found a new home as refugees in Germany. The 1st JC Mönchengladbach helped them with the integration. While Nosrati, Alsbini and Alerksosi are on the mat for the 2nd Bundesliga team, Sarlak is not there. The 41-year-old is the Gladbach coach. He fled his homeland – Iran – for political reasons 13 years ago. Since then he has not been able to see his family in Tehran.
Sarlak and his 1st JC protégés share this and similar fates with millions of other people around the world who have had to leave their homes for various reasons.
In order to make it easier for refugees to find their way into a new life, the German Judo Federation (DJB) and the federal government have set up a Germany-wide campaign called “Welcome to Judo”. The project is intended to introduce people with refugee experience to the sports system in Germany and to contribute to a living culture of welcome. The campaign, which started in the summer, has already taken place in Berlin and Luckenau (Brandenburg). “Welcome to Judo” will make the third stop next Friday, November 18, from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the 1st JC Mönchengladbach in the Jahnhalle.
“We are pleased that this project is being held in our hall. With the many people in our association who had to make escape experiences, this is also an obvious decision,” says Peer Radtke from the 1st JC. The Mönchengladbach club also lives its openness to refugees in the current crisis, in that the 1st JC – especially in the children and youth area – took in some judoka from the Ukraine, who can train free of charge in the Jahnhalle after fleeing the war, as Peer Radtke reports. “We advertised it on social networks, and some other judo clubs referred us. That’s a good thing,” Radtke continued.
In addition to Patrick Stix, who is a consultant for team integration at the DJB, and Iryna Sohka, board member and trainer at JC 71 Düsseldorf, Gladbach coach Vahid Sarlak will also be on site as a trainer for the campaign next Friday in the Jahnhalle and the participants will go through the lead evening. “This day should be a celebration for the refugees. Judo is a sport for everyone, it is open to everyone. With projects like this, we want to show the people who have fled that there is hope,” says Sarlak, who had similar experiences after fleeing Iran more than ten years ago. “When I came I didn’t even have a judo suit. Now I’m a coach here. I want to convey the feeling that life goes on.”
In terms of content, a lot of judo-specific content is to be conveyed on the evening: from exercises and techniques to general fitness. Vahid Sarlak knows exactly what is important: the former professional fighter not only works as a coach at 1. JC Mönchengladbach and as a national coach, he also coached the national team of Tajikistan for a number of years – including coaching the team at the 2019 World Cup in Tokyo.
Vahid Sarlak is now responsible for the IJF refugee team and is currently preparing the athletes for the 2024 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Some fighters from this team will also be present at “Welcome to Judo” next Friday. “There will be some international fighters who come to Mönchengladbach from Belgium or the Netherlands, among others. My team can act as a role model for the refugees. They can convey hope and also motivation,” explains Vahid Sarlak.
Welcome to Judo:
November 18, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., for all judoka and non-judoka with flight experience from the age of 12, registration deadline on November 11, registration via judobund.de
