Why Anti-Doping Education Is Taking Center Stage at Europe’s Cadet Judo Championships

Dr Pinelopi Stavrinou brought a different kind of focus to the Millennium Team European Judo Championships Cadets in Gran Canaria. While Europe’s young judoka chased results on the tatami, the European Judo Union’s Anti-Doping Representative was working just as hard off it, pushing a message that could shape careers long before any medal moment arrives.

At the centre of that effort was the EJU’s “Clean Judo, Clean Sport” booth, where education rather than enforcement was the first priority. Stavrinou, a former athlete and now two years into her role, is helping drive a clear change in how anti-doping is approached in European judo.

Her core idea is simple: education should come before testing. Instead of waiting until athletes reach the senior elite level, the EJU is now putting real attention on cadets, the age group just beginning to step into international competition. In cooperation with the International Judo Federation, this shift is designed to give young athletes a better understanding of doping rules, testing procedures, and their own rights and responsibilities from the very start.

That matters because cadet athletes are at a key stage in their development. They are learning how high-level judo works, how events are run, and what is expected of them as competitors. Giving them anti-doping knowledge early can help build habits and awareness before they ever face a physical doping test.

Stavrinou made that point clearly in Gran Canaria. Her work is not only about explaining rules, but about creating a culture where clean sport is understood as part of being a judoka. In a sport built on respect, discipline, and responsibility, that message fits naturally.

For young judoka, learning the rules early can be as important as training well.

This season also marks an important step for the EJU programme itself. For the first time, the federation has independently introduced these educational stands at European circuit events. After an earlier stop in Teplice, the initiative continued at the cadet championships in Gran Canaria, showing that this is not a one-off appearance but part of a broader plan.

That expansion gives the project weight. It shows that anti-doping education is being treated as a visible part of competition, not a side issue hidden in the background. In busy championship arenas filled with pressure and ambition, the presence of a stand like this sends a message to athletes, coaches, and families alike.

Stavrinou also highlighted the support she has received from the EJU, thanking the organisation for recognising how important this age group is. That support may prove crucial if the Clean Judo movement is to keep growing across the European circuit.

At a cadet championship, attention naturally goes to throws, scores, and breakthrough performances. But in Gran Canaria, one of the most meaningful developments happened away from the contest area. The EJU’s push for early anti-doping education showed that protecting the future of judo is not only about producing winners. It is also about helping the next generation understand what it means to compete clean.

Source: EJU.net

Image source: EJU / European Judo Union