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JUDO WORLD TOUR Thejglobe-trottingjjudoka BjorgajRARDEAU WITjHjUPPORjjHjJj Préface from Ronaldo Veitia Valdivie Travelogue JUDO WORLD TOUR JUDO WORLD TOUR By Morgan Girardeau, The globe-trotting judoka © Editions Sydney Laurent – Morgan Girardeau ISBN : 979-10-326-1284-2 As the Intellectual Property Code, Article L. 122-5, paragraphs 2 and 3, only authorises, on one hand, "copies or reproductions strictly reserved for private use by the party making the copy and not intended for collective use” and on the other hand, on condition of inclusion of the author’s name and the source, "analyses and quotations of short passages justified by their critical, contentious, educational, scientific or informative nature”, any full or partial representation or reproduction, produced without the consent of the author or his beneficiaries or assignees, is illegal (Article L. 122-4). This representation or reproduction, by any process whatsoever, would therefore constitute a copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Code, Articles L. 335-2 et seq FOREWORD The Globe-Trotting Judoka by Morgan Girardeau represents a geographical tour that combines Judo of the visited countries with local cultures and traditions. The book reminds us of the people who dedicated their life to Judo and who promoted our sport. It is a recital and invitation to simplicity and honesty, fostering at the same time the universal values that bind our society with the aim to contribute to a better, more dignified and united world. Photo credit : IJF - International Judo Federation Marius L. Vizer President International Judo Federation PROLOGUE “To explore, to meet people and to share, all through the love of judo”, this was the ambitious aim of Morgan Girardeau, Judo instructor, 5th Dan black belt, as he headed out into the world on 14 September 2015. He was taking with him the values of the moral code of this educational and sporting discipline, and also a desire. The desire to learn about and understand the Other, in accordance with the principles of judo, particularly in terms of mutual support and benefit. From Europe to the United States, via Asia, he would visit 41 different countries - a symbolic number for him, as it would also be his age when he returned. In each of these countries, he would practise judo, thus earning himself a place in the History of this martial art. At the end of this rich and intense experience, this moving and challenging human adventure, which lasted nearly two years, after travelling 132,606 kilometres and meeting more than 10,000 judokas with whom he would share his passion, Morgan would return to the place where it all began: the dojo of his childhood. The origin of this project, the daily organisation, the anecdotes, reflections, lessons learned during this personal journey - he shares all of this with us now, naturally, just like his approach throughout his visits to a total of 121 judo clubs. And what if his most important experience, on this path of development, might not even be with those who practise judo? 1 Note: For simplicity’s sake, Japanese terms and expressions that are not in common use will be used in simplified form with no accents or gender inflections. A glossary is provided at the end of the book. PREFACE By Ronaldo Veitia Valdivie We have enjoyed life’s pleasure: loving and learning about judo. This discipline, one of the most highly valued and authentic sports, has brought me the great honour of meeting important people and sharing a common denominator with them: our immeasurable love of this discipline which, compared with other activities, in my view, gives rise to such wonderful feelings, to solidarity and to learning. In my view, the friendships that we create with those who are closely involved in this martial art are eternal! Life has been proving this to me for many, many years now. As you’ll see in this book, the practice of this magnificent discipline generates unique emotions and special situations that need to be written about. It’s impossible to resist reading this book, holding as it does the lifeblood of this experience, a mother lode of knowledge. With the greatest affection, we must thank our friend Morgan Girardeau for what his love of judo has enabled him to achieve here. With the heart of a true judoka, on his way around the world, this small yet great man is making his mark on History with all the experiences that he has faced. Nevertheless, there were many who doubted his ability to achieve his aim. There are always people ready to be critical of great achievements. They are pessimists. Opposing them are the optimists, all those who have supported and accompanied him in his extraordinary project. Reading this book, we learn about everything that judo can represent, everything that this educational and sporting discipline can provide in daily life. When he was with all the kind people who welcomed him and who admired his mission, Morgan Girardeau felt truly at home. With these good people, he felt his energy and confidence replenished; essential elements when facing such a huge challenge. With the courageous heart of a fighter, he had no hesitation in taking on and achieving a huge challenge that few people would even attempt. I had the great pleasure of welcoming him to my home, when he came to see my museum. Although he told me he felt it an honour to talk with me about everything that I had been able to learn during my fairly lengthy career, he didn’t realise that the honour was mine, to be able to spend time with someone with such extraordinary values. What a pleasure to be able to welcome and get to know this person - someone who is capable of this journey, someone who can commit to an ideal and achieve such a genuine triumph. Sharing the thoughts and experiences of our friend Morgan Girardeau takes us right to the heart of judo. His energy makes our hearts race. He passes that energy on to us all. His adventure, visiting dojos all over the world, has been viewed very favourably by the INTERNATIONAL JUDO FEDERATION (IJF), and rightly so. They rightly considered and assessed his mission as: an extraordinary journey! It is essential that all judokas, all over the world, should have the chance to soak up the heroic qualities found in this very beautiful book. As they make their way through these pages, they can experience the author’s journey by his side. And Morgan Girardeau, bearing the marks of these various training systems and tough showdowns with high-level athletes, with never a complaint, has brought his own meaningful experience to the idea that: “Money makes people rich, knowledge makes people wise, BUT HUMILITY MAKES PEOPLE GREAT”. This is the educational perspective through which he has viewed and lived the whole of his world tour. Just like the bamboo that bends more, the taller it grows, he embodies this attitude of humility and respect, and passes it on to us in this fascinating book. I respectfully suggest that you absorb and take in every moment of this book. Through these unique and fabulous experiences, you will discover judo in all its diversity and come to fully understand it. I hope, with all my heart, that people will follow the example set by Morgan Girardeau. I’d like to thank him here for having invited me, so respectfully, to write the preface for his story, a story that will prove to be highly educational and instructive for anyone who, like him, has a heartfelt passion for one of the best sports in the world - judo. This work will endure forever because of the unique and unforgettable experiences recounted here. Morgan Girardeau has had an idea, implemented it and made a success of it. He has turned a dream into a reality. All the best in the world for this book and for this small yet great judoka. El Veiti Ronaldo VeitiaValdivie – 8th DAN black belt, Hero of Labour of the Republic of Cuba From 1986 to 2016, Director of coaches of the Cuban Judo Federation Track record at the head of the women’s team: 57 world medals including 16 titles, 24 Olympic medals including 5 titles, 2 times world’s top-ranking team (1995 and 2005), 7 consecutive victories at the Pan American Games, held every four years, i.e. twenty-four years uncontested champion. JUDO WORLD TOUR 1ST COUNTRY: FRANCE It was about half past five in the evening. It was early September in 1986 and, just a few moments earlier we, my mother, my sister and I, had just come out of the SAINTE MARIE school, where she was a teacher and we were pupils. I was sitting with my sister in the back of the family car, and we parked in a tiny car park in front of a red door. A large entrance door, at the back of some high-rise social housing in the Bourdonnaye district of Vannes in Brittany. I had just changed my clothes. I had put on a beautiful white judogi, which at that time, not knowing any better, I simply called a kimono. Time to do some homework while waiting for the class to start, time for a quick snack, all the while being careful not to get this beautiful samurai outfit dirty - and then I was ready. This red door was the door of the JUDO CLUB MORBIHAN. I was nine years old and just about to start learning judo! However, this first attempt was an unsuccessful one. My rebellious side in reaction to discipline 15 JUDO WORLD TOUR and my desire always to look for people stronger than me on the mat during fights, and the end-of-class randori quickly made me discouraged.