TSJAKADOEA Tornike

General
FROM GEORGIA TO THE NETHERLANDS
His parents moved from Georgia to the Netherlands in the early 1990s due to the political situation in Georgia at the time, and he was born in a refugee centre in the Netherlands. Much of his family still live in Georgia. "Judo is the number one national sport there, like football in the Netherlands. Martial arts are part of the culture. My matches are regularly broadcasted live on television. In Georgia they see me as the Georgian judoka who plays for the Netherlands. I was born here [Netherlands] and I owe a lot to the Netherlands. All my friends live here and life in the Netherlands is better than in Georgia anyway. Moreover, the international rules stipulate that you are not allowed to practise judo for three years if you want to compete for another country as a judoka. In the Netherlands there is more attention for how to properly grip your opponent and keep them away from you, while Georgian judokas prefer body-to-body fights. I'm going to the [2020 Olympic] Games to become an Olympic champion. I know one thing for sure, if it works, it will be a party in both the Netherlands and Georgia." (ebonyst.com, 28 Mar 2021)