Chris Purcell

The Secretary General and Treasurer of the Commonwealth Judo Association Chris Purcell has very sadly passed away after being diagnosed with prostrate cancer a little over six weeks ago. The family has the deepest sympathies of all involved in Commonwealth judo that were lucky enough to have known and worked with him. Chris was an exceptionally dedicated administrator whose efforts to manage and organize Commonwealth Judo were unrivalled.

He worked tirelessly to promote the sport in particular the inclusion of the “developing nations” in Africa, Oceania and the English-speaking Caribbean. Chris was, in recent years, even more determined than ever to promote Commonwealth judo and lobbied hard and successfully for judo to be included in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.

He was in the midst of planning the Commonwealth Championships to be staged in Singapore in 2010 and was due to attend the World Championships in Rotterdam later this month. In his native New Zealand Chris was Vice President of the New Zealand Judo Federation, a Sporting Director of the New Zealand Judo Federation and was an integral part of Judo in Wellington and New Zealand. There will be a great many who will miss his effort, commitment and genuine love for the sport.