Christa: I Succeeded in Every Way I Wanted To

For Christa Deguchi the mission is complete! After 8 years trying to get to the Games, she was finally ...

Distria: We Are a Team, Not Just One Medal or Result

On day two of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Tokyo Olympic champion at -48 kg, Distria Krasniqi (KOS) ...

The Olympic Champions (43): Teddy Riner (FRA)

Interviewing an Olympic champion is something special and always delivers thought-provoking words and ...

The Olympic Champions (40): Shori Hamada (JPN)

Interviewing an Olympic champion is something special and always delivers thought-provoking words and ...

The Olympic Champions (36): Aaron Wolf (JPN)

Interviewing an Olympic champion is something special and always delivers thought-provoking words and ...

An Baul: Paris, the Games and Choi Min-Ho

An Baul (KOR) has become something of a judo icon, with fans all over the world eager to see him compete, ...

Shohei Ono: Reflecting on Retirement - Part One

Shohei Ono, with two Olympic golds and 3 world championship titles, stepped back from competition after ...

The Olympic Champions (26): Lukas Krpalek (CZE)

Interviewing an Olympic champion is something special and always delivers thought-provoking words and ...

The Olympic Champions (23): Takanori Nagase (JPN)

Interviewing an Olympic champion is something special and always delivers thought-provoking words and ...

The Olympic Champions (22): Clarisse Agbegnenou (FRA)

Interviewing an Olympic champion is something special and always delivers thought-provoking words and ...

The Olympic Champions (21): Naohisa Takato (JPN)

Interviewing an Olympic champion is something special and always delivers thought-provoking words and ...

The Olympic Champions (20): Distria Krasniqi (KOS)

Interviewing an Olympic champion is something special and always delivers thought-provoking words and ...

The Olympic Champions (13): Shohei Ono (JPN)

Interviewing an Olympic champion is something special and always delivers thought-provoking words and ...

The Olympic Champions (9); Nora Gjakova (KOS)

Interviewing an Olympic champion is something special and always delivers some thought-provoking words ...

151 Olympic Champions, Tokyo to Tokyo

The words ‘Olympic champion’ are heard a lot, especially in the sports world, of course, but also ...

Olympic Champions Together in Doha

Becoming Olympic champion is not something every judoka will experience. It is extremely special.

Will We See Ono Compete Again?

It has been read in various publications around the world today that 30 year old Shohei Ono, double Olympic ...

The Smiling Judoka: A Technical Study of Eduard Trippel

“I’m the guy that smiles before the fight,” read Eduard Trippel’s Instagram bio after winning ...

Idalys Ortiz, in a Great Place

An Olympic champion with 4 Olympic medals in total. That’s a big clue; there aren’t many who can ...

Olympic Mixed Team Champions - Team France

We caught up with some of the Olympic Mixed Team Champions, who shared stories about their historic win, ...

Top Ranked Rewards

Finishing the year as world number one always means a lot. First of all it tells a story of perseverance ...

Japan and the Others

With or without a pandemic, there are things that do not change. Now that the World Judo Tour has closed ...

IJF President Receives Tokyo Olympic Torch

While present in Lausanne, the IJF President, Mr Marius Vizer, was handed the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch ...

Abe and Abe: an Impossible Record to Beat?

We are now a few weeks beyond the Olympic and Paralympic Games and for some days there was calm in the ...

"I Feel Useful"

It is easy to recognise Dr Antonio Castro. He is that man who goes from one place to another, always ...

The Azerbaijani Banquet

On Friday Azerbaijan opened the Paralympic judo party with two gold medals and on Saturday they added ...

Athlete365 Supports Tokyo Olympians

As members of the Athlete365 community and in support of Tokyo Olympians, several opportunities are available ...

Judo Wins, Olympism Reigns

This Olympic Games, in Tokyo, amid masks and quiet and traffic-free roads, was stripped back to its simplest ...

The Tokyo Apotheosis (2)

The heat and the absence of traffic were the first thing I noticed after landing in Japan. The first ...

The Tokyo Apotheosis

It has been two weeks since the Olympic judo tournament ended in apotheosis with the victory of the France ...

From Johannesburg to Tokyo

The journey from Johannesburg to Tokyo is long, a 24 hour trip covering 13,527km. Alternatively, it could ...

Hope and Work

Siteny Randrianasolo-Niaiko was elected President of the African Judo Union on 18th May in Dakar, but ...

What a Way to Conclude Our Time in Tokyo!

The long-awaited Tokyo Olympic Games has ended for the judo family. The fragile journey here was worth ...

Incredible But True

Once again everything was written in advance, everything except the incredible but true story that the ...

Juan Carlos Barcos Receives His 8th Dan

During the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games, former IJF Head Referee and today's IJF International Affairs Director, ...

Germany Present Gifts to the IJF Refugee Team

The IJF Refugee Team have been prominent in the media and rightly so. Theirs are stories of unimaginable ...

1+23

24 countries have won medals in the individual Olympic tournament, that is, one less than in Rio but ...

Head Up

Mixed zone, 11.40 am. Javad Mahjoub was a river of tears. He did not cry because he had lost but because ...

Day 7: Seeding is King

We are so fortunate in judo, whether it’s by design or simply the natural flow, that we keep a huge ...

Sone confirms and Krpalek Surprises Everyone

Today the individual tournament of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games ended with the last two Olympic champions ...

Rosi and Brazil

From athlete to Olympic Coach to CBJ’s Technical Co-Ordinator, no matter the role, Rosi Campos is always ...

Saudi Arabia and Judo Make History in Tokyo 2020

It all started nine years ago. A first step was accomplished when Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani ...

Evgeny Rakhlin

There is a convergence of judoka at every big tournament. With over 200 countries participating in judo ...

The Chosen One

We will do the accounts and a global analysis, like everyone else, but there is something that can be ...

The Invincible Hamada and the Wolf

On the penultimate day of the individual Olympic judo tournament, we once again witnessed a demonstration ...

Day 6: Feeling the Right Moment

The IJF Executive Committee is asset-laden, without doubt, with skills and experience in every field ...

Introducing Funa Tonaki

Two world silver medals and now an Olympic silver medal, these sit at the top of Funa Tonaki’s CV. ...

A Life Dedicated to Judo and the 8th Dan for Envic Galea

For connoisseurs of the judo family, Envic Galea of Malta is a key figure in world judo. President of ...

New Judo Family Member, Max-Hervé George

At the Olympic Games in Tokyo, sitting at the official VIP tribune next to the IJF President Mr Marius ...

Mr 100%

Saeid Mollaei sacrificed a lifetime for a dream. He did it of his own free will and he did it in Japan ...

Day 5: Long Contests But Deserving Champions

Neil Adams is usually with the IJF team in his capacities as Referee Supervisor or IJF Commentator, but ...

Bekauri and Arai: A Cocktail of Youth and Experience

The fifth day of competition in Tokyo had its own physiognomy with two hotly contested categories where ...

Official Warning and Ultimatum to the German Coach

IJF official statement

25 Years On: a Silver and Gold Jubilee

On 25th July 1996 light weights were at play at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, U.S.A. They made their ...

A Beautiful Revenge, Continuity and Freedom

It is not easy to qualify a day like the one we have just spent. Once again the emotions are many and ...

The Show Will Go On

It is always interesting to let a little time pass, even if it is only one night, to analyse a day of ...

The Successor

Emilie Andéol has swapped judo for microphones. The Frenchwoman is in Tokyo to commentate on the judo ...

Day 3: Intensity and Respect

Akiko Amano is at home! It’s the Tokyo Olympic Games and she was selected to be an Olympic referee ...

Tokyo 2020 - ONO and GJAKOVA: An Artist and a Surprise

It was a third day of competition at the Nippon Budokan and we are loving each of them. There were great ...

An Expert Opinion

Prince Albert II of Monaco is passionate about sport. He is even more than that since he is an Olympian, ...

The Lesson of a Coronation

We have already talked a lot about the historic victory of the Abe siblings and we will talk about it ...

48 Hours

Two days of judo go a long way because they engrave irreplaceable teachings on our memories. The first ...

Shira, She’s My Hero

It’s like this at judo tournaments, whether it’s the Olympic Games or a local competition. Coaches ...

Day 2: Golden Score vs Golden Family

Udo Quellmalz is a stalwart of the international judo scene, working at the highest level throughout ...

Tokyo 2020 - Abe and Abe: A family Affair

You couldn't say that one Abe was overshadowing another as they were both already world champions before ...

Keiko Mitsumoto

Keiko Mitsumoto is 68 years old; she doesn’t mind us knowing. In 1964 she was an 11 year old girl living ...

The Embrace of a Constrictor

There are judoka who don't work in ne-waza because they don't like it, or maybe it’s laziness. It's ...

Day 1: Ne-Waza and Tactics Are the Name of the Game

IJF Referee Commission Secretary Tonino Chyurlia is no stranger to the Olympic Games, having been a referee ...

Tokyo 2020 - Krasniqi and Takato Open the Ball

We will remember from this first day of competition at the Tokyo 2020 Games that, yes, sport and especially ...

The Firsts

It’s the first day of judo in Tokyo, giving us the first data of the event. In general, being the first ...

Opening Ceremony: Flying the Judo Flag

Friday 23rd July 2021 brought victory for all sport as Japan officially opened the Olympic Games at the ...

The Bilodids

At 12:22pm Japanese time, Artem Lesiuk faced Uzbek Sharafuddin Lutfillaev on mat 2. At 12:25pm, Daria ...

Spirit of Judo: the New Magazine, in English, That is Not to be Missed!

After the French magazine L'Esprit du Judo, a benchmark in our community for the quality of its analysis, ...

Fethi Nourine and Amar Benikhlef: Disciplinary Sanctions

Following the draw of the judo competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Fethi Nourine (-73kg) and ...

A Message from Space to the Judo Community

The French astronaut from the European Space Agency, Thomas Pesquet, is a regular in our columns. A few ...

The 8

To say that judo is returning home is an understatement. The Olympic Games in Tokyo will be an initiatory ...

Technical Analysis: The Draw

We announced it! The judoka knew it; the coaches also. The Tokyo Olympics will be the most spectacular ...

Olympic Judo: Draw

Now we are sure it is real! For many months the route here has been precarious but with an Herculean ...

The International Judo Federation opens doors in Minecraft

Bringing values of judo to new generations through gaming.

Where to watch the Olympic Games

With one day left before the start of judo at the Olympic Games it is time to find out where you can ...

Category Breakdown +78kg

Two years ago everyone would have bet on a final between Idalys Ortíz and Sone Akira. Today things are ...

Category Breakdown -100kg

Jorge Fonseca is like a polar bear. He comes out of his slumber, wins a world championship and returns ...

The Responsibility of Silver Medallists

Let’s get straight to the point! We have all either felt it or seen it, the unbearable emotions that ...

Category Breakdown -78kg

It is the turn of a category with a pedigree, very exclusive, because it is entered with a shoehorn. ...

Category Breakdown -90kg

At -90kg we could copy and paste by taking –81kg and changing the names, because the problem is the ...

Category Breakdown -70kg

Japanese Ono Yoko and French Marie Eve Gahié will not be in Tokyo. That is to say, the first two of ...

Category Breakdown -81kg

-81kg looks like the Marx Brothers cabin. There is no room for anyone else. The stats say up to thirteen ...

Media Information

Useful information for the media during the judo event.

Category Breakdown -63kg

If Ono Shohei is the Japanese Teddy Riner, Clarisse Agbegnenou is almost the French version of Ono. Almost.

Category Breakdown -73kg

We enter mined ground. Ono Shohei is like an impregnable fortress, with a moat, drawbridge, thick walls ...

Europe Organised the Final Training Camp Before Tokyo 2020

Even if it is the National Olympic Committees, representing nations, which participate in the Olympic ...

Category Breakdown -57kg

First of all, -57kg is the story of a failure. The non-negotiable presence of Christa Deguchi had been ...

Mentally Fit Helpline, Always there for you

Taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body and the IOC understands how ...

A Giant Leap for Women's Judo in Saudi Arabia

The news caused a stir nine years ago, when during the London 2012 Olympic Games, for the first time ...

Category Breakdown -66kg

The -66kg category has not been owned for so long that, in the end, we are a bit lost. Things change ...

Italy: Will the Work Pay Off? Tokyo Will be the Answer

With eight athletes qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Games, Italy has entered the big leagues. While the ...

Category Breakdown -52kg

In 2016 Majlinda Kelmendi proved that women can do better than men. In 2016 Kosovo ceased to be the regular ...

Category Breakdown -60kg

When we talk about –60kg we have to look at the largest country in the world. In the vastness of Russia ...

Category Breakdown -48kg

For years -48kg has been the private hunting ground of the Japanese, a kind of garden closed to others. ...

Kodokan: An Institution, A Legendary Place and a Training Venue

While the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will take place in the legendary Nippon Budokan stadium, built for ...

What do the Olympic Games and Olympic Values Mean to You?

“Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, ...

Tokyo 1964: The First Chapter

Soon the whole judo family will be united in Japan for the Tokyo 2020 Games. Excitement and concentration ...

USA Judo Announced Nominations for Tokyo 2020

On 5th July USA Judo announced its athlete and staff nominations for the Tokyo 2020 United States Olympic ...

Lasha Shavdatuashvili: It’s a Question of Passion and Hard Work

Since Lasha Shavdatuashvili won the world title in Budapest a few weeks ago, we already had the chance ...

The Magnificent Seven

Olympic gold is like a noble title and to be a champion is to be part of the aristocracy of sport. The ...

French Judo Will Lead the Path

Whenever the Olympic Games approach one of the lists that we digest the most is the list of flag bearers. ...

Beslan Mudranov: The Elegance of a Champion

With the Tokyo 2020 Games fast approaching, all eyes are already on the Japanese capital and judo fans ...

Olympic Qualification Final List

Here it is, here is the final list! These are the judoka who will participate in the Tokyo Olympics. ...

Sabrina Filzmoser: Let's Push Ourselves Towards Greater Challenges

At the World Judo Championships Hungary 2021, Sabrina Filzmoser was elected to lead the IJF Athletes' ...

Judo: What Is It All About?

As the Tokyo Olympics are fast approaching, let's look back to a lecture given by Kano Jigoro Shihan ...

Toshihiko Yamada: The Key Person

Organising the Olympic Games is a marathon, a resistance race and a sprint all at the same time. Nothing ...

Golden Grandpas

Experience must be respected because our community is a learning school but when the experience has the ...

A Champion, a Book, a Lesson in Life

Clarisse Agbegnenou is more than a name in the statistics of international judo. Still active, she is ...

Gamba's Dilemmas

When there are not many options, it is easier but when there are resources and a high quality workforce ...

The Day of Reckoning Has Come

Since the end of the World Championships in Hungary the calculators were out, each coach and each athlete ...

Drysdale-Daley Makes History with Tokyo 2020 Olympic Spot

For every single athlete on the World Judo Tour getting the precious ticket to go the Olympic Games is ...

A Swedish Fairytale

Swedish fairy tales have been said to be straightforward and sincere, with those of good heart, quick ...

The IJF Celebrates Olympic Day

We are getting closer and closer to the Olympic Games, Tokyo 2020. Our judo community is more united ...

Tokyo 2020: Official Olympic Qualification List

Today, 22nd June, the International Judo Federation published the official list of athletes qualified ...

Olympic Games Playbook for Athletes and Officials

The International Olympic Committee just published the last version of its Playbook with just over one ...

Nomura: I Want to Learn More

Tadahiro Nomura, born 10th December 1974 in Nara, Japan, is one of the most famous judoka in the world. ...

What I Believe

Some record pictures or make live programmes, others take care of health protocols, plane tickets or ...

For a Few More Points

Everything you wanted to know about Olympic qualification. We have been talking about it for months and ...

ABE vs MARUYAMA

Planet Judo has been waiting for that moment for months. After a long domestic qualification process, ...

Where is Tokyo?

We aren’t asking about geography! Tokyo, the centre of the sporting universe, the focus of more than ...

Olympic Games Category Breakdown

Olympian and Paralympian Experiences with the IOC and Airbnb

At the end of 2019, the IOC and Airbnb announced a major global Olympic partnership. This partnership ...

Olympic Qualification System Under Review

As the Covid-19 crisis keeps deepening, the IJF President, Mr. Marius L. Vizer, delivered an important ...

IJF President Message to the Judo Family

Following the decision to postpone the Tokyo Olympic Games next year due to the global Covid-19 situation, ...

Joint Statement from the IOC and the Tokyo 2020 OC

THE PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC), THOMAS BACH, AND THE PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN, ...

We will win

There was hope, but it has earned a sense of responsibility. There is frustration and fear, but they ...

Letter from the IOC President regarding Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

Amidst growing concerns and uncertainty with regards to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the International ...

Go to the Olympic Games for free!

Make your dreams come true - Go to the Olympic Games for free!

What is Going to Happen at the Olympic Games?

The third event of the IJF 2020 calendar has just concluded. Even though 5 months are still left until ...

Japan Unveils the Olympic Team

Only one name was known so far (Sone Akira in +78kg) and one remains uncertain, in the men's -66kg weight ...

2020 – What is Going to Happen at the Olympic Games?

Yes, it is still 6 months to go. Yes, it is reckless to do this now, but it is always interesting to ...