Nils Stump’s Recovery Shadows a Landmark Week in Lausanne

Nils Stump will not compete at the Grand Slam in Lausanne, but the Swiss former world champion remains closely linked to a defining moment for judo in his country. This week, Switzerland hosts its first-ever Grand Slam, which will also be the sport’s first inclusive Grand Slam.

For Swiss judo, the event represents two major milestones at once. Stump’s achievements on the World Judo Tour have helped raise Switzerland’s profile internationally, making him an important part of the path that led to a home Grand Slam in Lausanne.

The multiple World Judo Tour medallist has been away from competition since Abu Dhabi in 2025. His absence followed a knee injury sustained during a training camp in Japan in January, when he tore his cruciate ligament and also injured his meniscus.

Stump underwent surgery at the end of January and is now in rehabilitation. While this is his first serious knee injury, he has already experienced the demands of a long recovery through two previous shoulder operations.

The setback has not changed his ambitions. Stump has said that his goals remain in place and that they give him the motivation to keep working through rehabilitation, despite the knee recovery being longer than the shoulder injuries he has faced before.

Lausanne marks a historic double milestone for Swiss judo.

Stump may be missing from the tatami this time, but his influence is still part of the bigger Swiss judo picture. As Lausanne prepares for its first Grand Slam, one of the country’s leading athletes is focused on the patient work required to return.

Source: EJU.net

Image source: EJU / European Judo Union