Matt Folan competed in the heavyweight division and the open category of the men’s judo at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.

A Dublin man of Connemara heritage, Folan began practising judo in Dublin in 1959 before embarking on a career as a radio officer with the Greek Merchant Navy from 1959 to 1969, maintaining his fitness at sea and seeking out local judo clubs in every port. He trained regularly at the Kodokan in Tokyo during his regular route calling there and was awarded his Shodan black belt in a Kodokan grading session in 1967.

He returned to Ireland in 1969, established a printing business, rejoined the Dublin Judo Club in Parkgate Street and won four consecutive Irish heavyweight titles before competing at Olympic and world championship level. He described the judo competition as ‘lightning chess’ – a sport in which ‘brain surpasses brawn.’

At Munich, Folan was drawn against Jean-Claude Brondani of France, his longtime European judo hero. Despite his best effort he eventually succumbed to a complex take-down-strangle/armlock combination that, notwithstanding his wide international experience, Folan had never encountered before. His finest international result came at the 1973 World Judo Championships in Lausanne, where he finished fifth, contesting the bronze medal match.

After Munich he served as IJA president from 1972–80, using the management skills from his day job to put governance on a firmer footing beginning with a new constitution. He introduced the IJA’s first Coaching and Refereeing standards, was put in charge of training the Olympic squads for the Montreal 1978 and Moscow 1980 Summer Games, and became the first Irish International Judo Referee.

He served on the OCI executive committee from 1977-85, as well as being an active member and President of Irish Mensa.