The International Judo Federation have announced the new rules to the National Federations ahead of the Technical Seminar which will be held on the 14th and 15th of December in Istanbul, Türkiye.
These rules will see the reintroduction of scores, elimination of penalties in some respects and the allowance of techniques which previously resulted in disqualification. The rules will be implemented first in the Paris Grand Slam 2025, allowing a period of adjustment for athletes, coaches and referees. This version of the rules will be adhered to, up until and including the Senior World Championships in Budapest, when the rules will undergo review.
According to the IJF; technical changes to the refereeing rules are as follows:
- Addition of a third score, yuko, in ne-waza it will be given at 5 seconds.
- Use of head to throw and defend allowed except in cadet events where it will be penalised with shido.
- All jacket grips and gripping under the belt to the level of the top of the inner thigh are allowed but shido will be given if using the jacket grip or under the belt to the level of the top of the inner thighs grip negatively.
- Hooking the legs with the hand or arm, leg grabbing, gripping the trousers and touching the leg from the top of the inner thighs down is forbidden and will be penalised with shido.
- Kumi-kata will be given 30 seconds for an attack.
- Bear hug in tachi-waza is allowed except with hands or hands and arms clasped, forming a circle which will be penalised with shido.
- Unintentionally leaving the contest area in tachi-waza and ne-waza will be given “Mate!”
- Kansetsu-waza applied while performing throws, with high injury risks (where uke cannot escape), will be penalised with hansoku-make. For kansetsu-waza applied with techniques, with lower injury risks (where uke has the possibility to escape), performed with two hands on one arm, it will be “Mate!” and “Shido!”
- Positive activity in ne-waza will be taken into consideration.
- Reverse seoi-nage is allowed except in cadet events where it will be penalised with shido.
The official publication on the IJF Website will be available following the Technical Seminar in Istanbul.
Author: Thea Cowen