USA Judo Response to Unfounded Allegations, Sept. 11, 2009

Dear Members,

I look forward to seeing many of you at the upcoming U.S. Open to be held in San Jose California on September 25-27. Mike Swain and the local San Jose organizing committee have been working very hard on this premier event and will undoubtedly provide us with another incredible California tournament experience.

I am writing to you now because USA Judo has been put into an unfortunate position of having to defend itself in a public manner.  As you may be aware, a few members of the current leadership of the U.S. Judo Association recently engaged in an embarrassing barrage of propaganda that relates to issues that may at some point be the subject of a future U.S. Olympic Committee hearing addressing the false allegations made by the leadership of the USJA.

The following information provides clarification of the facts pertaining to these irresponsible allegations.

1. USA Judo suspended the membership of USJA as a Group A organization of USA Judo based on a variety of written evidence that the present leadership of USJA violated the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sport Act through actions taken earlier this year that, ultimately, contributed to a minor female being harmed.  The USJA engaged in a practice involving the participation by amateur athletes from the United States in an unsanctioned international amateur athletic competition and asserted rights and responsibilities that the USJA was not authorized to hold.

2. During the last International Judo Federation Congress, the president of the Pan American Judo Union admitted during the meeting of the Congress that he had, indeed, worked with the leaders of the USJA in connection with the aforementioned actions.

3. The USJA requested a hearing with the USA Judo Board of Directors and USA Judo has cooperated with the USJA to schedule a hearing. This hearing is being carried out in accordance with provisions of the USA Judo Bylaws which were amended in 2006 by USA Judo at the recommendation of the USOC.

4. The information on the finances of USA Judo that was presented by USJA to the members is false and is believed to have been purposely presented in this fashion to misinform. All of USA Judo's accounts, expenditures, books and receipts have been audited by the USOC audit department twice over the last two years. In addition, an independent audit is conducted annually by an independent auditor. The results of these audits were positive and verified that both funds received from the USOC as well as outside sources were spent according to USOC requirements. The misrepresentations being made by some USJA leaders are consistent with what has happened in the past.  USA Judo can show what each amount quoted consists of and the fact that they are within the approved budget line items. This is supported by receipts that have been reviewed throughout the audit process.

5. The USJA has criticized USA Judo's financial support of athletes, including Ronda Rousey. USA Judo can show that Ronda Rousey received tremendous financial support from USA Judo over the last three years towards the cost of training, including a monthly living stipend, domestic and international coaching, strength training, travel to international camps and competitions, etc. Other athletes, such as Ryan Reser and Valerie Gotay, also have received a great deal of financial support from USA Judo that helped directly contribute to their success on the international stage leading up to the 2008 Olympic Games. Through programs such as the USA Judo Elite-U23 Team, Junior Athlete Performance Program, USA Judo National Training Sites, developmental regional camps and numerous others, USA Judo provides financial assistance to hundreds of judo athletes throughout the United States. Among the athletes who have benefitted greatly from these programs is 2008 Junior World Champion Kayla Harrison who is a member of the USA Judo Elite U-23 Team and an alumna of the USA Judo Junior Athlete Performance Program.    

I truly appreciate the many members of the USJA who have written or called and expressed the outrage they feel for this public display of irresponsible behavior by a few leaders of the USJA. You can be assured that USA Judo, through its Board of Directors and staff, will continue to work to grow judo and not be disrupted or deterred by these continuous attacks from a few individuals within the leadership of the USJA. USA Judo simply does not believe it is appropriate to carry on a public debate over these issues and we, as an organization, are content to deal with matters in front of the proper authorities.

Thanks to so many of you for your continued and meaningful support of USA Judo and its continued effort to grow and improve American Judo.

All my best,

Lance Nading, President

USA Judo