Judo combat time, scores, and penalties: Review of competition rules changes between 2010 and 2020

Abstract

<p>This study aimed to describe and analyze the main changes in the official competitive rules of judo between 2010 and 2020, highlighting changes in combat time, scores and penalties. In this retrospective study, a search was performed for official documents which regulated judo rules between 2010 and 2020 on the websites of the International Judo Federation and the Brazilian Judo Confederation, as well as refereeing manuals of the Sergipe Judo Federation (Brazil) and on the Google platform. Over the years, regular combat time has been shortened (2015=5’-<span>></span>4’ for women; 2017=5’-<span>></span>4’ for men), as well as <em>osaekomi</em> time (2013=25”-<span>></span>20”). This change was intended to facilitate the public’s understanding of judo scores, as well as to devalue the use of penalties to achieve the victory (2010=<em>koka’</em>s exclusion; 2013=penalty was no longer worth scores; 2017=<em>yuko’</em>s exclusion, <em>shido</em> no longer decided the winner in regular time; 2018=<em>shido</em> no longer decided the golden score winner). Attack actions were encouraged (ban on actions to flee combat) and there was an intention to reduce the risk of injuries in competitive judo (prohibition of some types of actions and grips). In other words, there was an attempt by the International Judo Federation to encourage positive judo through the rules from 2010 to 2020. However, these constant rule changes made the competitive training context unstable. Judo coaches and athletes must be aware at the end of each Olympic cycle for new changes which will eventually be introduced and adapt to them quickly to achieve high performance.</p>

Which Performance Tests Best Define the Special Judo Fitness Test Classification in Elite Judo Athletes?

“…This may have stemmed from the fact that many complex motoric and psychological abilities affect judo performance. Also, there have been numerous changes in judo competition rules and thus match duration and content since the development of SJFT [ 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 ]. In line with these changes, judo athletes’ physiological characteristics have also changed [ 60 ].…”

A scoping review on Para Judo

“…In addition, half of the studies focused on temporal structure were carried out more than 20 yrs ago, so their findings are outdated because judo rules have experienced several changes that have affected the temporal structure of combat. 64,65 Besides, although it seemed that sex was a variable that affected the temporal structure, it should be pointed out that only one proper recent research among the reviewed studies compared male and female judokas performance.…”

Comparison of Individual Penalties According to Gender and Weight Categories of Elite Judo Athletes from Four World Championships

“…The International Judo Federation (IJF) implemented six significant rule changes in judo from 2010 to 2020 [ 8 ]. These changes were intended to simplify judo for the public, as well as to devalue the use of penalties to achieve victory (2010 = koka’s exclusion; 2013 = penalty was no longer worth scores; 2017 = yuko’s exclusion, shido no longer decided the winner in regular time; 2018 = shido no longer decided the golden score winner) [ 8 ]. In general, IJF intent was to encourage positive judo [ 8 ].…”

“…These changes were intended to simplify judo for the public, as well as to devalue the use of penalties to achieve victory (2010 = koka’s exclusion; 2013 = penalty was no longer worth scores; 2017 = yuko’s exclusion, shido no longer decided the winner in regular time; 2018 = shido no longer decided the golden score winner) [ 8 ]. In general, IJF intent was to encourage positive judo [ 8 ]. However, if positive judo wants to be encouraged, negative actions must strictly be penalised.…”