Frequent and unreasonable changes in judo refereeing delegitimize past world, Olympic and other event champions
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.- Perhaps the best headline in this article should be: "For backwards and forwards" because this seems to be the new "maxim" of judo arbitration promoted by the International Judo Federation, an entity formed under the laws Swiss
While other combat and joint sports have increased the number of judges and referees in their events, the International Judo Federation drastically reduces the number of those in charge of imparting justice on the tatami in the different events.
First the Koka was eliminated, then the Yuko was eliminated and then the Waza Ari Awasete (ippon) and changed the concept of Ippon, which should be evaluated only when a competitor impacted his back directly on the tatami.
Image result for judo arbitrationWith respect to the Waza Ari it did not matter the amount of this marking in a combat and everything that before was Yuko now would be Waza Ari, which led us to see combats of up to 6 or 7 Waza Ari, inconceivable !! !!
The penalties were not worth and are not worth anything unless they become Hansoku Make when accumulated or by a direct application.
Now it seems that they have realized the gross mistake they made and have decided to return again to what should never have changed because it was to transform the essence and the well-earned history of world judo.
The use of a central referee alone in the matches, which is handled by a control table, guarantees the choice of this or that athlete for the final in important events and ensures that world personalities are sounded that in their presence the coveted gold medal; where we have arrived!
In fact and before this disfigurement of judo numerous clubs, entities related to the discipline of Jigoro Kano counting among them coaches, referees, leaders, etc., decided to form a separate store creating new organizations of world judo to preserve the essence, philosophy and future of this Olympic sport since 1964.
For this year 2018 the Ippon will return to what it was based on control, strength and speed but also the fall of Uke was largely, widely, long and as synonymous we can find to define this and what is clear is that the term was no longer used as compulsory directly or completely on their backs.
They also realized that the difference between an Ippon and a Waza Ari is so minimal that for them to have a more precise idea and that I heard many years ago in an arbitration clinic and as a judoka I am very clear and that in Ne Waza the difference between Ippon and Waza Ari is a fraction of a second. Then we should think that the Japanese teachers who devised the first rules of competition were wrong in these assessments?
Image result for judo refereeing
The answer is clear enough because they were not wrong because despite the change produced they had to reverse these modifications and necessarily return to the tradition that once again shows that it is the right thing and that it preserves the essence and philosophy of this martial art.
The dive or nailed will remain Hansoku Make but from this year who does it must leave the competition a decision that will take many of the next fight by direct action of an intelligent opponent that makes him dive, we'll see.
The changes made up to the year 2017 in their great majority were in disuse from this year 2018 that means that the way you won in the past is not valid now and that is why in the judo refereeing we go back and for ahead !!!
Given this lack of consistency in the rules of competition we find it difficult to legitimize the past champions given that yesterday was the norm in the score to define a champion today these appreciations differ completely.
Jaime Casanova, OLY.
Jaime Casanova The AUTHOR is president of the Panamerican Judo Union and the World Judo Federation (WJF) Resides in Santo Domingo. |
Santo Domingo Dominican Republic.
Judo vocabulary in the Japanese language:
Judogui: uniform for practice.
Tatami: Combat area
Tori: Who executes the technique.
Uke: Who receives the technique.
Koka: Minor score, 3 points
Yuko: Intermediate Score, 5 points
Waza Ari: Higher score, falls almost backwards, 7 points.
Ippon: Perfect score, win the match, 10 points.
Awasete: United, together.
Ne Waza: Combat on the floor
Osae Komi: Immobilize the opposite.
Hansoku Make: Loser for violation of the rules of competition.