AJU President Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko has announced a "zoning" scheme to help African judoka after a poor showing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics ©Getty Images

African Judo Union (AJU) President Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko is planning a "zoning" scheme that will help athletes across the continent gain greater access to high-level competitions, and it is claimed accelerate Africa's progress on the world stage.

Randrianasoloniaiko, who was elected as AJU President in May and attended the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as President-elect of the AJU, believes the scheme will help African athletes compete against the best in the world.

"We must make the honest and lucid observation that these were not good Games in terms of medals for Africa, even if I repeat that the commitment was total," he said in an open letter to the International Judo Federation (IJF). 

"I saw African athletes who climbed the tatami without fear and who fought with all their weapons. 

"Yet vis-à-vis many countries, we still have some way to go to join the elite and especially to glean medals."

To combat the difficulties African judoka faced at Tokyo 2020 -  no African won a judo medal, while not a single African country qualified for the inaugural mixed team event - Randrianasoloniaiko wants to create a sense of "Team Africa", which will "work to strengthen the level and participation" across the continent.

The Malagasy official explained: "Our athletes participate in very high level competitions and despite all the heart they put into it, they only spend a few minutes on the tatami. 

"We are going to multiply training camps. 

Algerian Sonia Allesner, right, was defeated in the women’s over-78 kilograms round of 32 at Tokyo 2020 as no African judoka won a medal ©Getty Images
Algerian Sonia Allesner, right, was defeated in the women’s over-78 kilograms round of 32 at Tokyo 2020 as no African judoka won a medal ©Getty Images

"We must find the right path, and for that, we must develop the African spirit, the spirit of union. 

"Our athletes must go to competitions where they can perform well and gradually climb the ladder of the world hierarchy.

"This will involve the creation of a zoning of our competitions in order to allow as many athletes as possible to get experience. 

"We see today that North Africa is more efficient than southern Africa. 

"We are therefore going to create north, south, east and west zones, to develop opportunities to improve and to aspire, collectively."

Randrianasoloniaiko added grassroots judo will also be invested in across Africa. 

"We will also strengthen our capacities in the educational field," said the new AJU leader.

"Thus more than 50% of our resources will have to be dedicated to development, through Judo in Schools or Judo for Peace projects, for example."

Randrianasoloniaiko also thanked IJF President Marius Vizer, who has "protected" the AJU in recent months from the impact of COVID-19.