Judo development does not have to depend on competition results or government funding alone. Roberto Danin, a board member of the Ecuadorian Judo Federation and founder of battery manufacturer Baterias Dacar, is one example of how former judoka can keep supporting the sport from the outside.
Danin was an Ecuador national-team judoka, as was his brother Carlos, who competed at the 1989 World Championships in Yugoslavia. The Danin companies have supported Ecuadorian judo for many years: helping fund the team that competed at the 2019 World Championships in Japan, sponsoring the 2022 World Junior Championships in Guayaquil, and offering scholarships so judoka can continue through university.
For Danin, judo is part of an education system. Through their companies, the family supports athletes with travel and event costs, and gives scholarships that open a path from the tatami to university. Some of those judoka have now come through school programmes and continue as qualified competitors or coaches.
The idea runs deeper than finance. They also describe plans for a new dojo designed to create productive roles for former coaches, keeping experience inside the sport.
Roberto's story illustrates a simple point: when former judoka continue to invest in judo through education, scholarships, employment and infrastructure, the sport gains a stability that no single season's results can provide.