Ahead of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace IDSDP on April 6th 2016 we hear from Brazilian judo champion Flavio Canto.
Flavio won three medals in a row at the Pan American Games: 1995, 1999 and 2003. And is known for his high level ground game. Flavio Canto spent most of his teenage years training in judo, in hopes he would achieve Olympic gold.
“I’ve never seen any place as beautiful as Rio de Janeiro, but it does have its dark side,” said Canto, 34. “There is violence all over.”
Millions of poor families populate Brazil’s favelas, or shanty towns, and roughly 60 percent of the country’s homicides happen there, according to Brazil’s Institute of Applied Economic Research.
The favelas’ vulnerable youth face two constant challenges, Canto said: falling victim to the violence or choosing to become a young perpetrator of it.
“It’s the kids who have it toughest,” said Canto. “They are told every day, ‘You’re not going to advance. If you are born in the favela, you’re going to die in the favela.’ And that’s an idea that we try to break.”
Through his Instituto Reação (Reaction Institute), Canto empowers youths by providing free judo training and education programs
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