IDDIR Alexandre

Belt grade
Black belt - II DAN (IJF, 15 Jul 2016)

Preferred techniques
Ippon-seoi-nage (judobase.ijf.org, 06 Jun 2021)

General
CATEGORY SWITCH
In 2017 he chose to move up from the -90kg weight category to the -100kg class, where he would compete with compatriot Cyrille Maret. "For some time I was getting a little heavier. It was complicated for me to follow the demanding regimes to stay in -90kg. That's why I switched, even if that meant I would face Cyrille. I could not continue to put my health in danger on all those diet regimes. And I knew it would not change a thing in my friendship with Cyrille. It only meant another rival for me to beat. Little by little I managed to match his level, even if I didn't win as many medals as him. I hope I have been able to at least push him to his limits. Cyrille, before being a rival, is a friend. I do not enjoy facing him, I always try to waste time during combat. I don't want our rivalry to affect our friendship." (lefigaro.fr, 10 Mar 2021)

OCCUPATION
In 2020 he began working as a commercial agent for the French national railway company, SNCF, at the Gare du Nord station in Paris, France, which supports his judo training and competition. "I did not imagine it would be so busy. There are plenty of people who need you and as many people who work alongside you. I love the intensity." He joined SNCF through French judoka Cyrille Maret. "I was looking for a contract so I could be linked to a company and I told him about my situation without asking for anything. He told me he would see whether SNCF could help and told me about the programme, until one day he said I would receive a call - and that was it." (sncf.com, 30 Mar 2021; Douane Francaise Youtube Channel, 16 Apr 2015; Facebook profile, 09 Feb 2016; lefigaro.fr, 10 Mar 2021)

SERIOUS INJURY
His 2010 back injury could have ended his judo career, with doctors advising him against returning to elite competition. His coach at the time, Christian Chaumont, consulted spine specialist and former judoka Pierre Garcon, who believed it was possible to rehabilitate the injury without surgery. Iddir wore a special corset brace for six months, and was eventually able to return to elite competition. "I was arching my back too much one day during training, and with the fatigue, the vertebrae just cracked. But It was impossible for me to retire from high level judo, so little by little I worked to recover." (Facebook page, 30 Apr 2015; leparisien.fr, 08 Feb 2016)