Judo

Judo is the ‘way of yielding’: victory is achieved by throwing the opponent onto their back, pinning them to the ground or forcing them to submit using a joint lock or a chokehold. The founding principle is to use the opponent’s strength to one’s own advantage — maximum effectiveness with minimum effort — and every technique has a Japanese name and a codified sequence of movements. It was created by Jigoro Kano in 1882 in Tokyo, who selected and adapted the jujitsu techniques of traditional schools to make them safe to practise, whilst adding an educational approach. The International Federation was founded in 1951; judo made its Olympic debut at the 1964 Tokyo Games and was opened up to women at the 1992 Barcelona Games. Today it is one of the most widely practised sports in the world, with a widespread following throughout the Mediterranean. Matches last four minutes and are won by an ippon — a perfect throw, a twenty-second hold or the opponent’s surrender — or on points through waza-ari. Penalties for passivity or fouls (shido) can decide a bout: a third shido results in defeat. At the 20th Mediterranean Games in Taranto 2026, judo will take place from 28 to 30 August at the PalaWojtyla, with 15 titles up for grabs: seven men’s weight categories (-60, -66, -73, -81, -90, -100, +100 kg), seven women’s weight categories (-48, -52, -57, -63, -70, -78, +78 kg) and the mixed team competition.

• 1Four-minute bouts, with a possible golden score in the event of a draw
• 2Ippon (immediate victory) for a perfect throw, a 20-second hold-down, or a joint lock or choke resulting in a submission
• 3Two waza-ari are equivalent to one ippon
• 4Three shido (penalties for passivity or fouls) result in defeat
• 515 titles in Taranto: 7 men’s categories, 7 women’s categories and the mixed team competition