Due to funding cuts for the upcoming Paris Olympic and Paralympic cycle, we have had to make some difficult decisions regarding the staffing across our World Class Performance Programme.

This has unfortunately resulted in us having to make a number of redundancies and reducing the number of days of employment in some key positions.

One area greatly affected is our Coaching Team. We have also taken this opportunity to review the ENG Coaching Team as well during this process to maximise the Coaching resource across both the GB and ENG programmes, where we currently have 9 coaches employed, moving down to 6 full-time coaches across both programmes, as of the 1 Nov 2021.

Following the process, Kate Howey and Dennis Stewart both made the decision to voluntarily step away from being considered for the positions and given the limited number of Coaching positions available, Denny Roberts, will also leave the organisation.

Following the interview process, we have made a final decision on all six posts across the GB and ENG programme as follows;

• Paris Olympic Coach Men –                                        Colin Oates
• Paralympic Coach and Olympic Development Coach Men – Ian Johns
• Paris Olympic Coach Women –                                  Jamie Johnson
• Olympic Development Coach Women –                   Simon Moss
• England Talent Head Coach –                                     Jason Parsons
• England Talent Coach –                                               Sophie Cox

The Coaching restructure will not come into effect until the 1 Nov 2021 and October will be used as a transition period for the Men and Women’s Coaching Team and Fighters.

Performance Director Nigel Donohue said:

“It is a most difficult decision when having to make key staff in your programme redundant and it is with a heavy heart that Kate, Dennis and Denny will be leaving British Judo at the end of this year. All are fantastic Coaches and have done a tremendous job for the Performance Programme and British Judo, both on and off the mat over the last several years and contributed massively to the success of the programme of which, we will be forever grateful.

Over the coming months, we will publicly acknowledge their contribution to the British Judo Performance programme and we will support them as they move onto the next stage in their careers.

Going forwards, we are very excited and looking forward to preparing, qualifying and performing in Paris off the back off our success at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games and believe we have a Coaching Team and extended Coaching Team through our GB HN Support Coach programme that can deliver even more success at the same time, build a team for post-Paris and beyond”

All coaches leaving the Association will be supported throughout the next couple of months and how British Judo can assist them in their careers moving forwards.