Raniere’s claim to be ‘East Coast Judo Champ’ may be hard to verify, but not necessarily untrue

Perhaps researchers can help verify.

Perhaps the students of Keith Raniere can find the needed proof.

Mr. Raniere’s bio [www.keithraniere.com.] states he was an East Coast Judo Champion when he was 11 years old. The bio gives no other details. It does not say who he defeated; no date, no venue, no qualifiers such as weight division, belt designation, how many rounds he fought – as is customary when martial artists list championships on their bios.

One might assume that, since the ‘world’s smartest man,’ and a teacher of ethics, saw fit to mention it in his bio his judo victory was significant and a verifiable accomplishment.

Unfortunately, no newspaper thought it worth reporting.

Mr. Raniere was 11 in 1971.

Yet searching 1971 and going every year for a decade on either side of 1971, there is not a single news report of it in any of 5,100 newspapers archived by http://www.newspapers.com – including Mr. Raniere’s hometown newspaper – The White Plains Journal News.

However, it should have been newsworthy that an 11 year old boy defeated the assembled judo masters to win the East Coast Championship.

Online evidence shows Mr. Raniere may have competed in the East Coast Judo Tournament held in Newark, NJ.  The amateur tournament – which has been held every year since late 1960’s – is not ranked as an E level event and therefore does not attract top martial artists. Nor does the tournament seem to publish records.

That may be because the tournament is primarily for children. It affords students from various local Dojos [Judo schools] in New York City and New Jersey to have a ‘recital’ where children  – starting at age four – compete with kids in other schools in front of their parents.

Mr. Raniere may have appeared at the East Coast Judo Tournament and competed with other boys in the yellow or green belt division.

He may have won a ribbon.

Critics argue that for a child to get a ribbon, and, as an adult, claim he was East Coast Judo Champion is like the little girl in Miss Agatha’s Dance School who won the Shirley Temple pink ribbon for tap dancing saying she was dancing champion of the entire East Coast.

Mr. Raniere states he was an East Coast Judo Champion at age 11.  None of his students question it. His female slaves believe.

Can anyone provide some proof to silence critics who say this is another one of many lies Mr. Raniere put on his bio?