Judo is the only native Japanese sport that is consistently included in the Olympics. It has appeared in every Olympics since 1964, excluding 1968.
The only form of equipment used in judo is a judogi, which is a heavy cotton uniform with a jacket and trousers.
In a match one competitor wears white and the other wears blue. The competitor on the top line of the bracket always wears white.
Women are also allowed to wear a white shirt underneath the jacket, but men are not.
Matches are separated into seven weight classes for both the men and women’s events. There is a different system in the recently added mixed-team events. In the mixed-team events, three men and three women compete in individual matches and score points for their team rather than themselves.
Men’s matches are five minutes long, and women’s matches are four minutes long. If the match is tied at the end of regulation, there is a sudden-death overtime where the first point, known as the “golden point,” wins.
There are two types of penalties in judo: hansoku-make, and shido.
Hansoku-make are serious infringements such as intentionally trying to injure an opponent. These penalties result in immediate disqualification.
Shido are minor infringements such as intentionally stepping out of bounds or being too passive. If a competitor receives four in a match, they are disqualified.
Rules and Regulations (cont.)
There are three ways to score in judo: ippon, waza-ari, and yuko. An ippon is worth 100 points, a waza-ari is worth 10 and a yuko is worth 1.
Scoring an ippon immediately ends the match. There are four ways to score an ippon:
Performing a “perfect throw” by throwing your opponent onto their back with force, speed, and control.
Immobilizing an opponent for 20 seconds with a grappling technique while your opponent does not control a part of your body.
Choking your opponent until they tap out or pass out.
Locking your opponent's arm until they give up or their elbow is dislocated.
Another way to win before the end of regulation is by scoring two waza-ari. A waza-ari is earned by completing a throw that is not quite an ippon because it lacks one of the three elements explained above. Waza-ari are also earned by immobilizing an opponent for 15–20 seconds.
Yuko can be scored in a similar fashion, but they are throws that lack two elements of an ippon, or holds that are between 10–15 seconds.
Two waza-ari equal one ippon, but no amount of yuko can equal a waza-ari.
