Judo made its first appearance in the 1964 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. But it was dropped from the 1968 Olympics Games. Until 1988 Summer Olympics when Women Judo was presented as a demonstration sport, only male judokas were allowed to participate. However, in 1992 Summer Olympics, women judokas were awarded medals for the first time. During its first appearance in the 1964 Summer Olympic Games, 74 participants from 27 countries participated in the events. By 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the sport of Judo grew immensely and there were 437 participants from 93 countries. Over the years, the number of weight classes in the Olympics also increased. At the Tokyo Olympics, there were only 3 weight categories along with an open category. However, in the 1972 Olympics, the number of categories was increased to 6 (including an open category) and in 1980 Olympics, the categories were catapulted to 8 classes. However, in 1992, the open category was dropped from the Olympics. Today, there are 7 weight categories for both men and women in Judo Olympics.
Judo Rules And Regulations
Born in Japan, Judo is now a popular sport across the globe. Read the article to know all about the rules and regulations of this sport.
Judo
- In Judo, the fight takes place on ‘tatami’, a mat 8sq. meters in size.
- Contests lasts for five minutes in which whenever the contestant manages to throw its opponent to the ground on shoulder, or pins him or her to the ground on his or her back, or is able to force the opponent to succumb to a choke, strangle or an arm-lock, ‘ippon’ or the maximum score is awarded and the contestant wins.
- There are smaller scores for other kinds of throws and holds. However, if at the end of the allotted five minutes the scores are tied, the contest enters a golden score period, where the first to score wins.
- There are different weight classes and fighters from the same weight class compete against each other.
Judo History
Judo developed out of ju-jitsu introduced into Japan by a Chinese monk, Chen Yuan-ping in the early seventeenth century as a form of unarmed combat. In the days of chivalry, several ju-jitsu schools evolved where the young samurai were taught the art.
Earlier Samurai Warriors used to carry swords and were also proficient in the art of ju-juitsu. In 1871, bearing of swords was prohibited. With the intention of spreading judo beyond Japan, Kano arrived in Europe 1889. He was accompanied by a judo exponent Yukio Tani, who presented a brief display of the art in Britain. At the turn of the century, Yamashita, another Kano pupil, joined the movement and started giving instruction in the United States. He even taught the sport to President Roosevelt. The Paris police were also given lessons of judo as a form of self-defense. In 1928, Shinzo Tagaki, another pupil of Kano, spread the art to Australia and in 1929, he brought it to India. It arrived in Africa two years later. Many Europeans travelled to Japan during the 1930s. Trevor Leggett was the first British to make the trip in 1938.
Though judo gained popularity exponentially across all the continents, it was always looked upon as a means of self-defense and not a sport. However, after the end of the Second World Wart it developed into a competitive sport. In 1948, the European Judo Union was founded. Three years later, in 1951, the International Judo Federation was constituted.
Judo developed out of ju-jitsu introduced into Japan by a Chinese monk, Chen Yuan-ping in the early seventeenth century as a form of unarmed combat. In the days of chivalry, several ju-jitsu schools evolved where the young samurai were taught the art.
Earlier Samurai Warriors used to carry swords and were also proficient in the art of ju-juitsu. In 1871, bearing of swords was prohibited. With the intention of spreading judo beyond Japan, Kano arrived in Europe 1889. He was accompanied by a judo exponent Yukio Tani, who presented a brief display of the art in Britain. At the turn of the century, Yamashita, another Kano pupil, joined the movement and started giving instruction in the United States. He even taught the sport to President Roosevelt. The Paris police were also given lessons of judo as a form of self-defense. In 1928, Shinzo Tagaki, another pupil of Kano, spread the art to Australia and in 1929, he brought it to India. It arrived in Africa two years later. Many Europeans travelled to Japan during the 1930s. Trevor Leggett was the first British to make the trip in 1938.
Though judo gained popularity exponentially across all the continents, it was always looked upon as a means of self-defense and not a sport. However, after the end of the Second World Wart it developed into a competitive sport. In 1948, the European Judo Union was founded. Three years later, in 1951, the International Judo Federation was constituted.