Olympic champion Eldos Smetov may soon begin a career with the International Judo Federation (IJF). This was announced by the federation’s referee director, Armen Bagdasarov, during a press conference ahead of the Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam tournament, according to “Adyrna.”
“Eldos Smetov is an outstanding athlete — an Olympic champion, a medalist of the Games, and a world champion. We would be happy to see him as part of our team. The issue is that, unfortunately, many champions don’t want to work within the federation. But if he shows interest and learns English, we would start him right away in a responsible position. We are always open to such individuals,” Bagdasarov said in an interview with the Kazakhstan Judo Federation’s press service.
Eldos Smetov retired from professional sports after the 2024 Paris Olympics. He is currently in the United Kingdom, actively studying English. This step may be a key phase in his transition to a role in international sports organizations.
