The Montenegrin team has consistently performed well at the European Karate Championships for Cadets, Juniors, and Young Seniors, securing six bronze medals prior to today’s finals in Bielsko-Biała, Poland.

For the first time in eight years, Toko Raičević will officiate in a European championship final. He has recently achieved the prestigious “Referee A” license in Poland from the European Karate Federation.

“I have a busy day of judging ahead of me, but that’s fine! I am thrilled to have completed a lengthy journey of work and learning, culminating in the A license, which is the highest, fourth level in the European ranking. My next goal is to obtain the highest world title. This is the next step, especially since Montenegro currently holds just one license because Miodrag-Mijo Radunović did not renew his due to his responsibilities as director of the Montenegrin national team,” Raičević stated in an interview with “Vijesti”.

With this title, Raičević has rounded out his sports biography in karate, transitioning from a successful competitor to coach. The Karate Federation’s Referee Commission has successfully issued four European referee licenses over the past three years since Raičević’s involvement.

“The pinnacle of our achievements during this period has been Veljko Brnović’s world license, along with 20 Balkan licenses. The journey is challenging and requires financial resources to travel and judge across different continents. None of this would have been possible without the exemplary leadership of the Federation, led by Predrag Perković. Last year, we officiated at 15 international competitions, and in order to qualify for the first world level, I need to judge at the World Youth League in the Emirates in two weeks. We’ll see—this requires immense sacrifice and financial commitment. Judging at the Premier League events across three continents is also essential for confirming and maintaining my license,” Raičević explained.

Following a successful competitive career, including a junior European bronze with the Yugoslav national team and a club European bronze with BC Budućnost, as well as being a national champion and senior national team representative, Raičević chose to pursue a career in karate refereeing alongside coaching.

“My competitive experience is invaluable when judging. It allows me to deliver fair outcomes for today’s top karate practitioners, while also fostering relationships with their coaches, which enhances my coaching abilities. I stay current with industry trends, as this sport is continuously evolving. In my dojo, Vukovi, where I train aspiring young karatekas, several have achieved status as cadet and junior national team members,” concluded Raičević with a sense of pride.

News