President’s Corner

IJF President end of the year message, December 20, 2024

Dear Judo family,

As 2024 draws to a close, we look back with pride and joy to the unforgettable and in many instances historic moments which defined this year.

This has been a year marked by memorable Judo events on the World Judo Tour calendar; exciting grand prix and grand slams, outstanding world championships in Abu Dhabi, and the exceptional Olympic Games in Paris, which we were all anticipating eagerly since the Tokyo 2020 Games.

As organisers and active participants, we have all dedicated our efforts to ensuring the smooth progression of the Olympic Games qualification and competition. Athletes, supported by their coaches, national federations and families, competed tirelessly for every point, giving their best to achieve the coveted medals and make history for their countries.

At the end of this Olympic cycle, in our drive for the very best in our sport and for all those involved in its continued success, we will begin implementing adjustments that will contribute to a better image for Judo and will optimise our endeavours.

We initiated and continued development projects and initiatives at a global level, tailored to meet the needs of our members in terms of education, gender equality, sport, peace and sustainability, to name a few. In this way, judo continues to bring an important contribution to societies worldwide, creating better citizens and setting an example of healthy lifestyles based on strong moral principles.

It has been a year of accomplishments, challenges, valuable lessons and meaningful moments that have inspired learning, growth and connection. My gratitude and appreciation go to each of you for your commitment, professionalism and steadfast support towards Judo and its values, which have made this momentum possible.

I would like to thank and congratulate all athletes, continental unions, member national federations, coaches, referees, officials, the IJF Executive Committee members, IJF honorary members, IJF ambassadors, IJF staff, official partners, sponsors, TV and media partners and all stakeholders.

Looking ahead to the coming year, we remain committed to working together in synergy and unity, bringing excellence to higher heights and continuously refining our efforts to achieve the best outcomes for the development of Judo and the promotion of its values around the world.

I wish you and your families a joyous holiday and a new year filled with health, happiness, prosperity, and peace. I look forward to seeing you soon on the World Judo Tour 2025!

Marius L. Vizer

President

International Judo Federation

Dear judo family. This year, World Judo Day places the spotlight on the theme of wellbeing, a concept that touches all aspects of our lives, on the tatami, but also outside the dojo.

The focus on wellbeing is particularly relevant in today's world, where mental health challenges, social isolation and sedentary lifestyles are on the rise. The COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing conflicts and societal shifts have amplified the importance of prioritising both mental and physical health. Judo, with its holistic approach to training the mind and body to help people to become better citizens, serves as a guiding light for overcoming these challenges.

By focusing on different aspects of wellbeing - physical, mental, emotional and social - judo reinforces its role not only as a sport and a martial art but also as a practice that enhances our overall quality of life.

• Physical wellbeing (judo as a catalyst for health, active lifestyles and flexibility);
• Mental and emotional wellbeing (judo as an enabler for balance, resilience, self-esteem and confidence);
• Social wellbeing (judo fosters respect, mutual aid, sense of community and inclusivity).

This year’s theme accompanies and encourages judo practitioners to view their training as more than just a sport but as a path to comprehensive wellbeing, helping them become stronger, more resilient and more connected to their communities.

Many judo practitioners find their balance and harmony through their training. No matter how the day unfolds - whether filled with triumphs or challenges, stepping into the dojo offers a sense of renewal, and you always depart feeling more uplifted and balanced than when you arrived, with a new perspective. For most, the dojo becomes an additional home, a space for dialogue, and the judo club or team feels like an additional family. Whether you're a judoka, coach, referee, parent, grandparent or official, everyone finds their place and feels they belong.

By participating in judo training and experiencing its positive impact, you not only improve yourself but also uplift your environment, spreading that renewed energy to those around you. This shared growth strengthens the entire community, creating a space where every individual contributes to the collective spirit of harmony and support.

On World Judo Day, 28th October, the judo community is called to reflect on how their practice can continue to be a force for personal growth, mental health, connection and social contribution—a perfect embodiment of Jigoro Kano’s vision for judo as a way of life.

Happy World Judo Day!

The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace commemorates the vital role of sport and physical activity in fostering philosophies and associated actions which promote education, human development, healthy lifestyles and a peaceful world. As a timely reminder, in the context of today’s world, it is imperative that we channel all our efforts towards harnessing sport as a catalyst for positive change, facilitating the advancement of a more peaceful, sustainable, collaborative and human world.

Judo is an active Olympic sport with well-defined educational values such as courage, respect, modesty, friendship, honour, sincerity, self-control, and politeness. At its core lies the beautiful philosophy of jita-kyoei: the idea of individuals working together for the greater good, promoting co-operation, harmony and respect among practitioners.

Jita kyoei encapsulates the belief that through practising judo, individuals not only enhance their physical skills but also nurture a mindset of mutual support and consideration for others, both on and beyond the mat.

The International Judo Federation (IJF) has demonstrated its commitment to supporting peace through numerous impactful and relevant projects over the years, promoting inclusion and social development through judo as well as gender equality. These non-discriminative initiatives include:

• Judo For Peace in conflict and post-conflict areas and places with social disorders: Türkiye, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya.
• Judo For Refugees
• The full support of the IJF Refugee Team, which participates in World Judo Tour events and world championships, both as individuals and as a mixed team. The team participated in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and will also be present for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
• Judo For Children with more than 70 programmes around the world on the five continents, involving hundreds of thousands of children.

While we are looking forward to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with all their excitement and magic, let us take a moment to reflect on the meaningful power of sport as an enabler for communication, friendship, and most of all, world peace.

President's Message for International Women's Day - March 8, 2024

Dear judo family, Dear ladies,

Every year, on 8th March, a day dedicated to honouring the accomplishments of women worldwide and celebrating their social, economic, cultural, and political achievements, we take a moment to reflect.

In the world of judo, we transcend a single day; we honour and celebrate women every day. Women’s impact echoes through every facet of our sport and activity with excellence as athletes, coaches, referees, technical officials, staff, administrators, directors, and board members, evolving into inspirational leaders and role models for our entire community.

Our heartfelt gratitude extends to you for your unwavering dedication and inspiration. We take immense pride in your achievements and we hold them dear to our hearts.

Judo, an Olympic sport, extends solace, vitality, inspiration and empowerment to all individuals without any kind of discrimination. From tender beginnings, our sport and its values nurture the dreams of little girls, guiding them into resilient and strong women. Judo cultivates the courage and confidence of women, providing a community and support they can always count on.

We hope to see a continually growing number of women embracing judo in all its dimensions and facilitating greater representation at all levels of the sport and beyond.

Happy International Women’s Day!​

Dear judo family,

As we are approaching the last days of this year, I would like to express my appreciation and gratitude to each of you for your important work, your support and dedication to judo.

This year was full of events for all of us and we can proudly acknowledge a successful World Judo Tour calendar and many achievements and projects around it.

Looking ahead to the upcoming year, I believe that we will continue to develop judo worldwide, united and in synergy, guided by the judo moral code, for the benefit of all judoka and the judo community throughout the world.

I am confident that the Olympic Games in Paris will serve as a shining light of hope, inspiration and motivation; an example of sporting values, a global celebration of sports, of diversity in unity. The spirit of judo will shine brightly, delivering excellence.

We will continue to achieve the best results together as a family, upholding the same level of excellence, effort, enthusiasm and commitment to the judo family.

I would like to send special thanks to all athletes, continental unions, member national federations, coaches and referees, the IJF Executive Committee members, IJF ambassadors, IJF staff, official partners, sponsors and all stakeholders.

I would like to wish you and your families all the best for the festive season and a happy new year filled with health, joy and prosperity.

Most importantly, I would like to end this message with a hopeful wish of world peace for all of us across all continents.

IWD 2023, IJF President's Message

8th March is the designated day to celebrate the achievements of women all over the world. In Judo, we celebrate women day by day, as we can see and feel their presence in all aspects of our sport: as athletes, coaches, referees, technical officials and leaders. Women are working together with men, for the betterment of judo and its development in all forms, on all continents.

The International Judo Federation (IJF) and especially the IJF Gender Equality Commission, have been working for several years to improve gender equality in judo for all categories of populations. Today, when women’s contributions to society is more and more recognised and many countries are making incredible progress in implementing gender equality policies, we can be proud of the progress recorded in judo. The IJF is making sure that women are not only offered equal chances, but we are also continuously working on changing the general perception of our sport.

Today, we can see outstanding women athletes, also from countries where they did not exist a few years ago. The number and quality of women coaches is continuously growing and the results are, in many cases, spectacular, showing how valuable a mixed team of coaches can be. Women are also more present amongst our technical officials and referees, again bringing added value and quality to the work the IJF is doing.

I hope that our actions and policies are inspiring all our member national federations to invest in and develop women’s judo and in general attract more women to our sport, in all positions.

I would like to sincerely congratulate all women in the judo family for their activity and contribution and wish them continued success and many achievements! Thank you all!

IJF President's Opinion on the the Peace and Sport Watch platform on the occasin of the World Refugee Day (June 20, 2018)

Since 2007, when I created the ‘Judo For Peace’ commission within the International Judo Federation, our organization, alone or in association with other structures, has been carrying out many projects with the aim to build a lasting peace in conflict zones and to bring values ​​that are useful to social reconstruction, while our world goes through troubled times.

The Judo for Peace philosophy goes well beyond practicing a physical activity and judo is more than just a sport. Based on a moral code with universal values ​​(Friendship, Courage, Sincerity, Honor, Modesty, Respect, Self-Control and Politeness), it brings comfort, self-esteem and mutual respect. Furthermore it allows to develop the physical and mental capacities for the construction of a more just society. It also brings skills for life to people who are suffering.

One of the main axes of development of our programs is to work with the displaced people. Whether it is for political or economic reasons, or because they are forcibly transferred following a conflict, millions of refugees are thrown onto the roads of the world each year. Traumatized and having often lost everything, after having found again the vital minimums, these vulnerable people and especially the youngest, need our help. This is a basic question of humanism carried by the values ​​of judo and decreed by the founder of our sport, Master Jigoro Kano, who had defined one of the mottos of judo: ‘Mutual aid and mutual prosperity’.

From 2015, for example, with the support of the Turkish Judo Federation, we have been developing a large program in Syrian refugee camps within 60km of the city of Aleppo while under the bombs. Judo for Peace is also present in Zambia and Malawi in camps (respectively Maheba and Dzaleka Refugee Camps) hosting thousands of African refugees. The IJF is also running a Judo for the World program in South Africa, where one of our IJF Academy graduates is working with refugees who are already in a situation of integration with the local population but who, due to their status, encounter social difficulties.

Peace and Sport Watch

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH IJF PRESIDENT, MARIUS L. VIZER

On the occasion of the Hohhot Grand Prix (China) that also marks the launch of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Qualification period, Mr. Marius Vizer, IJF President answered the questions of the IJF Media department about the homecoming of judo in Japan, within two years, and many other aspects of the Olympic Games organization. READ THE INTERVIEW

IJF NEW WEBSITE

In our ever-changing and fast-moving world, where information and communication play a key role, the International Judo Federation has launched a new-look website, meant to become the judo hub for all our community members as well as those exploring our sport.

The international judo community is just that: athletes, sponsors, coaches, referees, former athletes, fans and media. We always place them at the core of everything IJF does. The website, ijf.org, is thus intended to optimize the flow of information while enhancing contact among all our stakeholders. Together, we can best serve the interests of all those following judo – anywhere and everywhere.

With a new, fresh design and dynamic, diversified content, the goal is to bring all judokas together on this platform. This way, development and knowledge can reach all parts of the world. Too, the website will promote our activities and our member federations. Also, the site will be the place to help those who may be interested in but are less familiar with judo: a landing spot to get the basics and even more useful information about our sport.

From professionals to media and fans, ijf.org is there for everyone.

I invite all those interested to register and use the website, hoping that what you find will be useful and the new look will not only meet but exceed expectations.

Connecting to the World of Judo on ijf.org connects you to the main principles of society. These are the values of judo.

President's Message for International Women's Day - March 8, 2018

On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, I have the pleasure to congratulate and wish all the best to all the women who are active in and around judo.

I would like to send my best wishes and regards to all female judoka, coaches, referees, commissioners, staff and directors working with the International Judo Federation and to all female representatives of media, sponsors and partners who support our sport and also to all judo fans and lovers!

Women are integral members of the Judo Family, who contribute on a daily basis and in many ways to the development of our sport. We recognise and praise their merits and their work, and I hope that judo will continue to give women the chance to accomplish their dreams and fulfil their calling.

I take the opportunity to once again thank all the women for their support and achievements, for making us stronger and for sharing with us the joy and honor to work for the betterment of judo worldwide!

Happy New Year 2018 - January 1st, 2018

On the occasion of the passage from 2017 to 2018, the IJF President, Mr. Marius Vizer, delivered his new year's message.

Dear Judo Family Members, IJF Partners, Media Representatives and Judo Lovers,

We have concluded a very successful year, which was full of excitement, amazing competitions and beautiful champions. We could also continue to spread our values throughout the world.

I wish you a happy new year and all the best for 2018.

IJF President end of the year message, December 21, 2017

Dear Judo Family Members, IJF Partners, Media Representatives and Judo Lovers,

We are concluding a quite successful 2017, with a great World Championship held in Budapest in August, new partnerships with CNN and some sponsors, and a great edition of the World Masters held mid-December in St. Petersburg.

I want to thank and to congratulate all the organizers of Judo World Tour events, all the IJF Executive Committee members and Commissions, the Continental Unions, the athletes, the National Federations, the referees, the coaches and the IJF Team for their dedication in all the activities throughout the year.

On the occasion of the festive season, I want to wish all of you happy holidays and many achievements for 2018, along with memorable judo moments!