Alexei Budolin head coach in Uzbekistan

Many changes this year in judo, also in the role of coaches. Uzbekistan had to find a new coach after the departure of Ilias Iliadis and Marko Spittka who have been so successful with both the men and women over the last years winning world and olympic titles. Uzbekistan found a new head coach in Alexei Budolin of Estonia who was men's coach in Switzerland for the German part over the past few years under performance director Dominique Hischier. Budolin lived in Switzerland since 2017. Budolin signed the contract with Federation President Azizjon Kamilov.

In Switzerland Budolin booked successes with Daniel Eich who finished fifth at the Olympic Games in Paris and won a European junior and senior medal. With Nils Stump he even won the world title in 2023 U73kg.

Although Budolin was one of the coaches the Swiss women’s team booked successes with Evelyne Tschopp and Fabienne Kocher since his start in 2017 and more recently Binta Ndiaye developed as a true talent for Switzerland now fighting in U57kg. Under Dominique Hischier the Swiss developed in all age categories.

Budolin who hails from Tallinn Estonia speaks the language and he was a former European Champion in U81kg and won Olympic bronze at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and was in the 2001 World Championships final and took World bronze in 2003. In his time he never fought against athletes of Uzbekistan, which says enough about the development of the country that organised the World Championships in 2022 and hosts the Grand Slam in Tashkent for four years in a row in a fully packed stadium with knowledgeable judofans.
Budolin, the youngest of two judo brothers, who will turn 49 in April, started as head coach for Estonia in 2013 and has more than 10 years of international experience in this role.

Performance Director Hischier who was responsible for all age categories will now be head coach for U21 and seniors of the French side (at Yverdon TC) and the Swiss found a men's coach for the German part in former Swedish coach Robert Eriksson for the senior and U21 youth. The coaches will be supported for the younger generation by Flavio Orlik and all regional coaches of the six regions.