World Judo Championships begins in Budapest, Putin and Orbán attended at the opening ceremony – PHOTOS

Budapest, 2017. augusztus 28. A Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda által közreadott képen Orbán Viktor miniszterelnök (b) és Vlagyimir Putyin orosz elnök, a Nemzetközi Cselgáncs Szövetség (IJF) tiszteletbeli elnöke (b2) a budapesti cselgáncs-világbajnokságon a Papp László Budapest Sportarénában 2017. augusztus 28-án. MTI Fotó: Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda / Szecsõdi Balázs

The 31st World Judo Championships began in Budapest on Monday afternoon, with politicians and sports leaders attending the opening ceremony.

The event began with a concert by Italian singer Al Bano who also performed the anthem of the International Judo Federation (IJF) in the Papp László Sports Arena.

Photo: MTI

Addressing the opening, László Tóth, the president of the Hungarian Judo Federation, greeted participants and guests including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

IJF President Marius Vizer thanked the Hungarian government for its support to the championships which Hungary is hosting for the first time.

IJF President Marius Vizer, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán
and László Tóth, the president of the Hungarian Judo Federation, photo: MTI

The world championships. to last from Monday to Sunday, will feature over 700 judoists from 140 nations.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin attended at the opening ceremony

As we wrote last week, Hungary’s counter-terrorism force TEK will provide the level of security deemed necessary by Putin’s security service during the visit

Putin in Budapest, photo: MTI

President Putin and Foreign Minister Szijjártó, photo: MTI

As we wrote last week, Putin will get the honour in recognition of “the major role the Russian Federation and Hungary assign to the Debrecen University in the upgrade of the Paks nuclear plant”, the senate of the university said.

PM Orbán to meet with world leaders attending the Judo World Championships

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will be meeting with world political and sports leaders travelling to Budapest to attend the Judo World Championships”, the Prime Minster’s Press Chief informed the kormany.hu government news portal.

“Budapest is an international sports city, and following the FINA Aquatics World Championships yet another highly ranked sports event is beginning in the Hungarian capital. On the opening day of the event, and on the following days, the Prime Minister will be holding talks with several world leaders and sports directors who are travelling to Hungary to attend the Judo World Championships, including President of the International Judo Federation Marius Vizer, Honorary President of the International Judo Federation and President of Russia Vladimir Putin, President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach, and President of the Mongolian Judo Association and President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga”, Bertalan Hevesi informed the press.