A sudden reset in German judo: Spittka out, Bazynski steps down

German elite judo is heading into another rebuild phase after the German Judo Federation (DJB) ended its cooperation with national coach Marko Spittka. His time in the role was brief: he had only taken over the men’s programme in December 2024, a move that was widely viewed as bold given the pressure around reshaping the team.

A high-profile coaching project in Germany ends earlier than many expected.

The DJB framed the split as a “personal reorientation” and thanked Spittka for his work. Spittka, a former Olympic medallist, has long carried a reputation as a demanding coach with a strong personality—traits that have followed him across domestic and international jobs.

His return to Germany came with serious credentials from abroad. The report points in particular to his involvement with the Uzbek coaching set-up that supported Diyora Keldiyorova on the way to Olympic gold. Bringing that kind of recent top-level experience into the German men’s structure was seen as a major opportunity, but also a difficult task with big expectations attached.

The decision quickly rippled through Germany’s high-performance leadership. Technical director and board member Michael Bazynski resigned, reportedly because he disagreed with the choice to part ways with Spittka. Bazynski, 67, is a respected name in European judo, credited with contributing to Olympic medal success with both German and Dutch athletes.

Even after stepping down formally, Bazynski is expected to remain involved in an informal advisory capacity, as many top athletes continue to rely on his experience and technical knowledge. For Spittka, the 1992 European Champion, the story also looks far from over. With a strong international reputation and previous successful spells abroad—including several years with the Austrian national team—new opportunities are likely to appear, even after this abrupt ending in Germany.

Source: JudoInside