Career

January Snijders started with judo in 1954. As from 1972 January Snijders acted as a referee, firstly national, then as from 1976 continental (EJU) and as from 1984 international (IJF). This way he was among other things referee at the 7th World Championships and several Olympic Games (for instance Seoul in 1988, and Barcelona in 1992).

At the 56th congress of the European Judo Union on 3 December 2004 in Budapest, January Snijders was appointed Referee Director by the Directing Committee of the EJU. In that capacity among other things he gives guidance and seminars to East.J.U. referees (for example in Sweden, Portugal, Cyprus, Germany, France, Russia, Hungary etc etc).

January Snijders has been involved in the training of East.J.U. referees, in the judo reglementation/legislation and evaluation of judo techniques. In 1990 Snijders became 7th dan grade.

In 2003 he was appointed 8th daughter In September 2003 the International Judo Federation (IJF) honored him at Osaka with the Silver Medal for his merits in the sport of judo.

January Snijders continues to teach judo in Oirschot, Bladel, Deurne and Gemert.

Anton J. Geesink, Dutch International Olympic Committee representative, wrote about January Snijders:

January Snijders is a splendid example of a sport career from the bottom upwards, of athlete to sport official Recently the EJU Directing Committee board has appointed January Snijders Director and Chairman of the Referee Committee of Europe, an honor up till then never accorded to a Dutchman. Firstly a fantastic judoka, then coach, as a result of which he showed the necessary involvement.

Afterwards referee in the Netherlands, then Europe and afterwards globally and now Official in the EJU. That is the ideal career that the sports official must take to represent the associations and athletes at the highest levels of interests.

Achievements

• Already in 1961, he won gold in Milan on the European Championship for Juniors (Hans van Essen, 12 November 2002). In 1962, he became European champion in Essen (Germany) and in 1964, he participated in the legendary Olympic Games in Tokyo where Anton Geesink was the first European to win gold in the heaviest weight class. In the years from 1962 up to and including 1972 he participated in the national Dutch selection, became 8 times Dutch champion, won 3 x silver and 2 x bronze medals in the European championships and became 1 x fourth and 2 x fifth in the World Championships.

Membership

Additionally he has been a member of the Dutch District Degrees Commission and for 7 years President of the Dutch District Referee Commission. In 1992 January Snijders became a member of the East.J.U. Referee Committee and has since been actively involved in European and World championships.