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| Roman Karasev (left) runs three judo clubs in three countries! |
Q: Can you tell us about your background in judo?
A: My judo journey began in March 1985, when I started studying judo at the Dynamo Sports Club in Moscow under my first teacher, Vladislav Petrov. I continued studying judo even for my tertiary education and in 1997, I received my judo coaching diploma from the State University of Physical Culture and Sports. In 2006, I received a 3rd Dan from the Russian Judo Federation.
Q: Were you a competitor?
A: As a judoka, I, of course, took part in many competitions at various levels but my sporting career wasn’t outstanding. My greatest sporting achievement was at the 2001 Maccabiah Games in Israel, where I won a bronze medal in the individual event and a silver in the team tournament.
Q: You’re a coach of three judo clubs in three countries. How did that happen?
A: You could say this is part of my missionary work of helping to spread judo. It all began in 1998 when I began my first club,“ROKA JUDO”, in Moscow. In 2013, I opened the second club, also called “ROKA JUDO”, in the small city of Belovo in Bulgaria. In 2018, I opened my third “ROKA JUDO” club, this time in Haifa, Israel.
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| Roka Judo, Russia |
Q: How do you manage three clubs in three countries?
A: Indeed, running three clubs in three countries is not easy but it is interesting! The most important thing is to find like-minded people, who can understand your ideas, to become part of your team. That is the most difficult thing but I was lucky to have found people like that. Of course, even with good people in place, I still have to visit the clubs, so I travel a lot. I spread my time equally among the three clubs.
Q: How many members do you have in each club?
A: Each club has between 15 to 20 members. Most of them are children. There are also adults but not many.
Q: What’s the culture of judo like in these countries?
A: I would say the judo culture is more or less the same in all three countries, which is a focus on competitions. From my observation, this is actually a global phenomenon and it’s what the media focuses on. When you see judo in the news or on YouTube, it’s all about competition. The exception is Japan, where judo takes on a different meaning. Yes, there is that competition element but judo is also seen as a form of education for young people. At my clubs, we try to emulate that. We develop our players not just physically but intellectually and morally.
Q: What do you think is the impact of this narrow focus on competition?
A: Well, in Russia, Bulgaria and Israel, where the culture of competition is very strong, very few people take part in judo just for leisure or fun. You don't really have recreational judo, just competition judo. Therefore, it’s largely a young person’s sport. Not many people continue to do judo after they graduate from high school. Only the serious competitors will carry on training into adulthood.
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| Roka Judo, Bulgaria |
Q: Are there many private judo clubs like yours in Russia?
A: Private clubs do exist in Russia but there are not many. Most judo clubs are linked to sports schools.
Q: How is this Covid-19 situation affecting you?
A: Well, all my clubs are now closed because of government lock-downs. This is true of all judo clubs but because mine are private, I get no assistance from the state. No training means no income.
Q: What are your plans to deal with this?
A: There is no plan. I’m completely stuck right now. Worse still, I don’t know when the lock-down will be lifted. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.
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| Roka Judo, Israel |
Q: What are your thoughts about the postponement of the Olympic Games?
A: Of course it’s disappointing for the athletes and also for the fans, but sometimes in life there are certain things beyond our control. Who would've imagined this Covid-19 thing would come along and disrupt all over lives? The good news is that the Olympics are not cancelled but just postponed. I know many Russian, Bulgarian and Israeli athletes. Some of them, I support by sponsoring them with Fighting Films judogis. I look forward to the Tokyo Games in 2021 and hope to see many of my friends on the podium receiving a medal!
Q: What does judo mean to you?
A: Judo is the means by which a person can improve themselves. For 35 years now, I have been inextricably connected to judo. Judo is the basis of my philosophy in life. In everything I do, I am guided by the good principles I learned in judo.
Q: Any message to other judokas who are also in lock-down?
A: In judo, we learn to get up again and again and again. This is an important principle to remember in these difficult times.
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