International Olympic Committee board member Patrick Hickey has vowed to keep judo "popular" after the European Judo Union celebrates 50 years since joining the Olympic programme.
A gala dinner was hosted by the EJU in Zagreb, Croatia at the weekend to mark the 50th anniversary of judo's debut in the Tokyo Games in 1964.
"Together with the IJF (International Judo Federation) President Marius Vizer, I have worked with him to make sure that judo would never ever be in danger," insidethegames.biz quotes Hickey as saying.
"But it is a continuous process to ensure that at the Olympic Games judo remains one of the most popular sports. This is best achieved by very big audiences and the record of wide medal distribution all around the world."
Dutchman Anton Geesink became the first European judoka to end Japan's record in the Olympics by winning gold in the Tokyo 1964 Games.
