Croatian National Judo Athlete Fights for Inclusion through Sport

A former professional judoka and longtime member of the Croatian Judo National Team, Marina Drašković has her sights on creating a new standard of sports inclusion in the Republic of Croatia. Youth with disabilities are among the most vulnerable groups in society, and sporting programs either do not exist or are not easily accessible throughout the country. Marina knows the potential opportunities sports provide in allowing for continuous advancement, self-actualization, and a sense of belonging.

In 2014, she became Head of Sports and Recreational Activities for People with Disabilities in Velika Gorica, and a year later founded the Judo Club for People with Disabilities Fuji, where she is currently a sports manager and head coach. The Judo Club is the first of its kind in Croatia, bringing together children and young people with different types of physical and intellectual disabilities, and lays the foundation for the development of adaptive sports in Croatia. Because of its ingenuity and success, the club was the winner of the 2018 European Commission’s #BeInclusive Award. In 2020, Marina was chosen by the European Commission as one of the faces of their #EUwomen4future campaign, and in 2021 wrote a book titled, “Judo for People with Cerebral Palsy” with the goal of expanding the pedagogy of her Judo Club around the world.

With a strong belief in learning through other people’s experiences, Marina hopes the GSMP will give her a new dose of creative inspiration to develop her ideas while raising her club’s visibility through her new social networks. She would also like to gain more institutional knowledge on writing grants in order to build the first judo hall tailored for people with disabilities in Croatia. For GSMP: Sport for Community 2022, Marina will be mentored by Joanne Wallen, Senior Director, National Campus at the U.S. Tennis Association, and her team  in Orlando, FL.