Jan Snijders started with judo in 1954. Already in 1961, he won gold in Milan on the European Championship for Juniors. In 1962, he became European champion in Essen and in 1964, he participated in the legendary Olympic Games in Tokyo where Anton Geesink was the first European to win gold in the heaviest weight class. In the years from 1962 up to and including 1972 he participated in the national Dutch selection, became 8 times Dutch champion, won 3 x silver and 2 x bronze medals in the European championships and became 1 x fourth and 2 x fifth in the World Championships. Jan Snijders as well as his twin brother Peter was known, or indeed notorious, for his technical perfection. Jan Snijders gained in 1967 his diploma as a judo teacher and started his judo school.
Refereeing career
As from 1972 Jan Snijders acted as a referee, firstly national, then as from 1976 continental and as from 1984 international. This way he was among other things referee at the 7th World Championships and several Olympic Games. Additionally he has been a member of the Dutch District Degrees Commission and for 7 years President of the Dutch District Referee Commission. In 1992 Jan Snijders became a member of the E.J.U. Referee Committee and has since been actively involved in European and World championships. At the 56th congress of the European Judo Union on 3 December 2004 in Budapest, Jan Snijders was appointed Referee Director by the Directing Committee of the EJU. In that capacity among other things he gives guidance and seminars to E.J.U. referees. Jan Snijders has been involved in the training of E.J.U. referees, in the judo regulation/legislation and evaluation of judo techniques. In 1990 Snijders became 7th dan grade; in 2003 he was appointed 8th dan. In September 2003 the International Judo Federation honored him at Osaka with the Silver Medal for his merits in the sport of judo. Jan Snijders continues to teach judo in Oirschot, Bladel, Deurne and Gemert.
Anton J. Geesink, Dutch IOC representative, wrote about Jan Snijders:
Jan Snijders is a splendid example of a sport career from the bottom upwards, of athlete to sport official. Recently the EJU Directing Committee board has appointed Jan Snijders Director and Chairman of the Referee Committee of Europe, an honor up till then never accorded to a Dutchman. Firstly a fantastic judoka, then coach, as a result of which he showed the necessary involvement. Afterwards referee in the Netherlands, then Europe and afterwards globally and now Official in the EJU. That is the ideal career that the sports official must take to represent the associations and athletes at the highest levels of interests.
