Manuel Lombardo spoke about himself without filters to Fanpage.it. From the shame of what happened to Frank Chamizo (“Unfortunately all this exists in sport”), to the second consecutive Olympics with his presence in Paris 2024, up to the unconditional love for judo.
Manuel Lombardo will be a Paris 2024 to represent the blue colors in Judo, -73kg category, in which he has already won silver in Doha in the World Championships, coming close to achieving the feat in May 2023, after second place in 2021, in the -66kg category, won in Budapest always in the world championship tournament. Two medals in addition to two very precious golds, one won at the European Championships in Lisbon (2021) in -66kg and one at the Mediterranean Games in Tarragona in 2018 (-60kg).
A Fanpage, Manuel Lombardo told how in Paris he will try to aim for the maximum result, in his second consecutive Olympics after the disappointment of Tokyo 2020 dove “I bitterly tasted the other part of the Olympic medal, that of elimination”. A path that is growing and has also seen difficult moments, “like at the 2019 World Championships when I was robbed of the bronze by the Japanese host”. Nothing, however, compared to what happened to Frank Chamizo, in the fight: “I’m disgusted by itI can’t say anything else and unfortunately I wouldn’t be surprised if one day it could happen in judo too.”
Manuel, let’s start immediately with what happened to Frank Chamizo, a real scandal…
I’m disgusted, I can’t say anything else. Disgusted because I saw what happened and it really seems borderline absurd to me. I have been the victim of unjust verdicts in the past but something of this severity has never happened to me.
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What are you referring to?
Obviously at the Tokyo World Championships in 2019 for the bronze medal match against the host (Japanese Hifumi Abe, ed.) when I was robbed of victory. It’s public knowledge, everyone knows and saw that I deserved it and yet it’s not even remotely comparable to what happened to Frank.
Frank also suffered a bribery attempt
Even on this aspect I am still speechless: scenes that I would never have thought or wanted to see. It looked like a film, everything was unreal with the opposing coach pulling the referee’s ear, the injustice of the decisions… truly an impressive shame.
Have you ever had or heard of similar situations in judo?
I don’t allow myself to name names or give specific examples, but I’ll tell you clearly: rumors circulate. Fortunately, it has never happened to me personally, but I wouldn’t be surprised if something similar happened in judo too because these dynamics go beyond the discipline itself and unfortunately could involve any sport.
In your opinion, what could have happened in Baku?
Unfortunately it is the simple yet umpteenth demonstration that when other factors are at play, sport is put aside. In this case there were very high economic interests and it is no coincidence that there is talk of corruption, of an offer to Frank, in a shameful page in which rock bottom was truly reached. It will be a day that will forever be remembered as an indelible stain on the world of Olympic sport.
But how is this possible?
It’s the same thought I have. As a layman of the fight rules, I immediately noticed the irregularities that occurred in the match. They were so obvious as to be almost unreal and the question is simple: how is it possible that the IOC and the International Federation could allow all this? Unfortunately I don’t have the answer…
What do you think will happen?
I don’t know, I’m sincerely curious because I want to see if there will be an evolution after what happened, if measures will be taken following the media coverage of the money that was offered to him: it would be a strong signal of a positive response to re-establish the Olympic values and restore dignity to the struggle.
Have you had a chance to hear from Frank?
Yes, we spoke via text immediately after what happened. I renewed my affection and solidarity with him, as I had done on social media. Nothing can give him back what they took from him, the return he suffered. But he is a true, total champion: he is not just any athlete, he has already demonstrated in the past that he is an absolute champion and he demonstrated it by reacting by denouncing corruption. Now he will be able to go further and will certainly be able to qualify for Paris at the next world championship.
Paris Olympics where you will be there in judo, already qualified: correct?
In judo it works that you qualify through the ranking, there is not a single competition that gives you the Olympic pass, but it is a path. Technically I wouldn’t have qualified yet because the list closes two months before the Games but mathematically I can no longer get out of the top 17.
Who and what did you think of at that moment?
I immediately thought of Manuel three and a half years ago, of the burning disappointment I experienced in Tokyo when I felt the bitterness of the other part of the Olympic medal, the one without medals. I think it was the lowest moment of my career since I started judo at three years old: I dedicate this qualification to myself and to my entire journey.
That started when?
Way back in 2012 when I won my first title, Italian B rookie champion against the strongest of the moment including Giovanni Esposito (European silver in Sofia in 2022, ed.): I was entering the world of professionalism with the Olympic dream. Today the dream is still there, the objective has not changed, I work every day to stay at the level of my opponents, with lots of sacrifices and lots of training. But it is giving me so much, because I consider myself privileged to do what I have always loved for a living.
And what do you share a lot, your relationship with social media?
Absolutely positive even if I have never asked myself the question whether I am more or less active. When I can and I like to publish, I am certainly pleased to have feedback and a direct line with those who follow me but I also share Sinner’s thoughts when he says that he is not very present on social media.
Meaning what?
I understood perfectly what he meant and I share his thoughts even if our circumstances are different. We can’t put ourselves on the same level: he is truly an established champion, a celebrity… I’m still nobody and therefore I can also allow myself to publish what I want, without filters. But what he said about it is a further element of respect towards him.
Judo, a very complicated sport seen from the outside: is it really like that?
I can’t blame you, it’s not complicated but complex and lately the rules often change, creating even more disorder for those who follow them, also risking alienating people without them becoming passionate about it. For example, since 2012 we can no longer touch each other below the belt because they considered judo too similar to wrestling. And then every year, the regulation always undergoes some further modifications, with the International Federation always seeking to make it spectacular and at the same time make it increasingly safer.
Is the direction the right one?
Yes, giant strides have been made by the international federation and in Italy for the visibility of this sport: all the Slam and Grand Prix finals are broadcast on TV, the stages of the international circuit are broadcast in high definition in every country , but sometimes this continuous desire to improve is to the detriment not only of those who watch judo but also of us who practice it and I know this for having paid for it personally.
In what sense?
Well I practically lost a World Cup final (Doha 2023, silver medal losing in the final to the Swiss Nils Stump, ed.) for a new rule introduced only a few months earlier according to which you cannot even touch your opponent’s head when making a throw. A rule that I personally don’t agree with and which for the first time affected a World Cup.
And outside of judo, what kind of boy is Manuel?
I would say a lover of slow life, I like to take my breaks outside the tatami, go to the cinema and spend time with friends even if judo at certain levels takes away a large part of my daily life. And I don’t miss any match of the Italian national football team: I always follow it, I still remember the final of the last European Championships: I was at the Olympic center with my teammates… it was an incredible boost.
Which could be repeated again this year with the European Championships in June and the Olympics immediately after…
Let’s hope, let’s hope that we can repeat what happened in 2021, after all the situations are similar.
Are you superstitious?
I was one but now I try not to be one anymore also because it hasn’t always brought me good luck, I have several anecdotes also because I stopped superstitious in 2015.
Tell us.
I had won my first major title, the European Cadet Championship, but only two months later at the World Championships in the same category everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I had some obsessions such as not stepping on the lines that divided the various tatamis, never cutting my hair at least two months before the race, I had to have my usual headphones with me and my brother by my side. Well, my brother’s flight was canceled and his earphones broke, result? Lost in the first round. Then at a senior championship I decided to do everything I didn’t do out of good luck and the opposite happened: I won and from that moment on I change everything at every race.
One last question: you have three wishes, what would you ask for?
The gold medal at the Olympics, winning the world championship and being happy.
Which is a simple direct consequence of the first two…
2024-04-18 12:06:08
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