Sir – Given the four whole pages that your sports editor allocated last weekend to coverage of a motley collection of association football matches, fixtures and results, I find it both surprising and disappointing to find, in contrast to the BBC local radio and TV coverage it received, not a single mention of the historic 80th anniversary Judo Varsity Judo match that took place the previous Saturday in the Town Hall.
Not only was it the first time for 40 years that the event had been opened to the public in this way but the interest and excitement that it generated in the audience was palpable, not least when the Men’s Blues team drew 4-4 with Cambridge and a rematch of three pairs had to be fought (which Oxford won — as did the Oxford women and the Oxford Men’s “B” team).
Equally importantly, it now has a Town as well as Gown element, with an annual match between Oxford City Judo Club and its Cambridge equivalents. Surely this, in itself, was worth a mention even if, on this occasion, Oxford city, unlike its footballing equivalents, lost.
Perhaps your sports editor is unaware that Oxford Judo has more than 100 members; that judo is taught in many local schools; that globally, it has one of the highest levels of participation of any sport, and that, in the Beijing Olympics, it had fourth largest number of countries represented, well above rowing and hockey, which do, apparently, merit significant coverage in your newspaper.
Tony Buley, Chairman, Oxford Judo
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