Marko Spittka returns to Germany as head coach

Marko Spittka, the renowned success coach of Uzbekistan, who guided Diyora Keldiyorova to Olympic gold this summer in Paris, is preparing to return to Germany. He will soon be officially announced as the new head coach of the German men’s judo team. Spittka transitioned from a coaching role in Bavaria to become the technical director of the Uzbek Judo Federation in February 2022 where he worked with Ilias Iliadis who was head coach of the men. Previously, Spittka also served as the head coach of the Austrian national team.

Before signing with Uzbekistan, Spittka had already served as an advisor to the federation's president. In Germany, he previously worked as an Olympic talent coach in Bavaria. As an athlete, Spittka was a standout performer, securing a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta for Germany.  

Born in Dresden, Spittka was among the world’s elite in the 1990s, earning titles such as European Champion, Vice World Champion, and Olympic bronze medallist. He completed his coaching diploma from 2001 to 2003 in Cologne. Following his initial tenure as a regional coach in Bavaria, Spittka spent 12 successful years with the Austrian national team, serving as head national coach from 2015 onward.  

In international judo, Germany's women’s team has historically been more dominant than the men’s team. Of Germany’s nine male Olympic medallists, three have gone on to coach abroad: Richard Trautmann, Udo Quellmalz, and Spittka. 
Eduard Trippel was the most recent German male judoka to win an Olympic medal, claiming silver in Tokyo 2021. In 2012, Germany achieved three Olympic medals: Ole Bischof (silver), Dimitri Peters, and Andreas Tölzer (both bronze). Ole Bischof was also the last German male Olympic champion, winning gold in 2008. Prior to him, Udo Quellmalz secured the Olympic title in 1996, Dietmar Lorenz triumphed in 1980 for East Germany in Moscow, and Frank Wieneke won gold in 1984 for West Germany in Los Angeles.  

The German women’s team, meanwhile, has maintained consistent success, winning medals at four consecutive Olympic Games since 2012. However, they have only celebrated one Olympic champion: Yvonne Bönisch, who won gold in 2004 and now serves as Austria’s head coach. In contrast, the German men’s team has not secured an IJF World Tour gold medal since March 2019.  

Spittka’s return is seen as a significant step towards revitalizing the German men’s judo team, bringing his extensive international experience and proven track record to bear on the national stage.