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International top referee Marian Hefka (68) passed away

International top referee Marian Hefka (68) passed away

18 Jul 2019 14:40
Paco Lozano / Judo y Otros

More sad news in July as the world of judo it hit tremendously with the loss of athletes. Slovak former World Championships referee Marian Hefka passed away on Thursday after he had a heavy heart attack in June and couldn't attend the European Games in Minsk. Hefka, aged 68, was still very active as EJU referee commissioner lived in Slovak capital Bratislava.

Hefka was well known for his political solutions, peaceful working methods and knowledgeable input in any judo situation. In the period of Czechoslovakia he was an athlete himself and won medals as a middleweight at Czechoslovakia Championships in his own Bratislava. Hefka officiated at various European Championships and the 1995 World Championships in Chiba. He was also selected for the Olympic Games in Atlanta but had to choose for being a referee commissioner in the European Judo Union at the end of 1995.

Warm person Hefka

Hefka was a popular man and was President of the Slovak Judo Federation for 13 years. After 2008 he was also active for the Czech Judo Federation as an expert in refereeing and was an expert for the EJU until his passing. He was very friendly, helpful and respectful man with good sense of humour. He lived a very healthy live and did regular health checks. He loved doing sports like cycling, swimming and judo where he was preparing himself for the seventh Dan.

He didn't survive a very strong heart attack, although he got a bypass operation, the doctors kept him in an artificial coma but couldn't survive without the machines and passed away.

The world of judo greaves and is in shock because of the death of Craig Fallon (GBR) this week and Kim Akker (NED) last week, two young judo stars.

The Slovak Judo Federation also has a sad week with the loss of Marian Hefka and 80 year old Alexander Dvonč, a judo sensei who passed away.

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