Chris Mullen BJA National Referee gave a seminar at the Swale Martial Arts Club on the new IJF Judo Rules; the seminar was an excellent day and was extremely informative. My own feeling is that the new rules will not achieve their aim of returning Judo to Upright Form of Competitive Martial Art Some may say linking Martial art and Competitive is a contradiction), I will agree that Judo has become just another form of Jacket Wrestling in fact an inferior version of Sombo/Sambo (Russian Jacket Wrestling) but to blame Wrestling styles for its demise is ridiculous. Having watched modern day Judo it is the IJF Rules that have changed the shape of Judo for example:
1) Years ago included in the rules was “Throw must be of Judo origin” when this was dropped I was one of those who said “Good Judo must move with the times” What a stupid boy I was to think because something is new and modern it must be better, maybe I should have kept to “if isn’t broke do not fix it”
2) You could not score if you were on the floor
3) If both of you were on the floor and not in Ne Waza Matte was called
4) You could not pick a person of the floor to score
5) If a throw was not clear cut no score was given. On the seminar we would watch matches and spend an age in discussion deciding who scored what
6) An Ippon was when your opponent was thrown on his back with speed force and impetus or as my father (Nobby) used to say 6ft up 7ft down.
By just going back to these basic measures Judo would become yet again a Dynamic Upright Fighting Sport.
After complaining about he new rules there are some good things one being the size and design of the Mat, now you have 6 metre x 6mtre fighting area normally in yellow with a 3 metre safety area normally in blue as you are now allowed to continue your throw outside without fear of a penalty. Sadly this came 30 years to late for me. On numerous occasions when I was trying for the 1980 Olympics, I would lose on the infamous “Step out” that was just letting your foot go outside the area which was rewarded with a Keikoku, I fought my main British rival on 4 occasions, he threw me once for Ippon, I returned the compliment and the other two times I lost on “Step out” and I was ahead on scores. On two occasions in the Paris Tournament and the Dutch Open I missed medal position because I threw my opponent outside the area but I should not whinge because I knew the rules. This new area favour Technique over Gamesmanship but there is a problem in these days of Health and safety, child protection etc if we do not have a Mat area as prescribed could the organiser be sued if someone got injured of the mat? If so could this be the death knell of all small competitions? I hope not.
The new rules which will be introduced in January will basically ban all techniques below the belt, so great Judo throws like Sumi Gaeshi, Suki Nage, Morote Doro, Te Guruma will all vanish an Ippon has become a role on the floor. That tough sport of Judo has been watered down to pander to the modern generation how long before we see Semi Contact Judo or better still Judo where you gain points for attempting a throw and disqualification for throwing someone. If that what it takes to bring people back to Judo who am I to complain but I am glad I do Sombo that ruffians sport where you try to throw someone hard
Martin Clarke
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