Today, Olympic champions: Like years ago, Distria Krasniqi offered to represent Albania

Many things could have been different if the conditions had been met and the Albanian National Olympic Committee (NOC) would have been part of the Olympic team Distria Krasniqi, the judoka who triumphed by defeating the Japanese Funa Tonaki in the final, a victory that secured her the first medal gold - the first for Kosovo in Tokyo 2020 and the second since its debut in Rio 2016.

Driton Kuka, the coach of Majlinda Kelmendi and Distria Krasniqi, was ready for Distrian to "offer" it for Albania. In a 2016 interview on "Afternoon on Top Channel", he stressed that "they do not accept any offer from foreign countries to compete on their behalf", with the exception of Albania.

"Countries that have millions of euros in funding for the Judo Federation would like Majlinda, but for us she is a closed issue. "After representing Albania, Majlinda will not compete for anyone other than Kosovo," said coach Kuka.

Then he added:

"I have another athlete who is currently the World Champion for youth judo in the weight of 52 kg. It's the same weight as Majlinda. "I am ready to offer this champion to Albania, on the condition that I have a guarantee from the state of Albania that it will invest in it, will enable the economic conditions."

Kuka ishte i bindur për Majlindën dhe Distrian – jo më kot të dyja kanë kanë një medalje ari – prandaj theksoi, “Nëse do të realizohet kjo gjë, unë do të shkoj në Olimpiadë me dy sportiste, njërën për Shqipërinë e njërën për Kosovën e me siguri që në finale edhe medaljen e artë edhe të argjendtë mund ta fitojnë këto shqiptare".

Pikëpamja optimiste e Kukës u kthye në realitet shumë shpejt, vetëm se të dyja medaljet shkuan për Kosovën, pasi siç duket, nuk u plotësuan kushtet ose nuk u arrit një marrëveshje mes xhudistes Krasniqi dhe KOKSH. Shqipëria dhe Bosnjë-Hercegovina janë të vetmet jo-mikroshtete europiane pa një medalje olimpike.

Distria Krasniqi, born in 1995, started judo at the age of 7 and trained with his brother. She won the bronze medal in the 48 kg category at the 2019 World Judo Championships. In 2020, Distria won one of the bronze medals in the women’s 48 kg competition at the 2020 European Judo Championships, held in Prague. This year, she won the gold medal at the Judo World Masters held in Qatar.