IJF

The International Judo Federation (IJF) is the governing body for the sport of judo worldwide. It was founded in 1951 as the Fédération Internationale de Judo (FIJ) and later adopted its English name. The organization directs the sport’s development, standardizes competition rules, and promotes judo globally. It is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the international federation for judo.

The IJF is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is led by a president and a council, with commissions and regional member federations. The federation comprises national judo federations from many countries and is organized into five continental unions: European Judo Union, Asian Judo Federation, African Judo Union, Pan American Judo Confederation, and the Oceania Judo Union. The president is Marius Vizer.

The IJF runs major international competitions, including the World Judo Championships and the World Judo Tour, a circuit of events such as Grand Slams and Grand Prixs. It also oversees Olympic qualification and the world ranking systems used for seeding and entry to major events. The rules and refereeing standards are periodically revised by the IJF to reflect changes in the sport.

The federation works with national federations, Olympic committees, and national sports bodies to develop judo programs, coaching, and anti-doping measures. Judo has been an Olympic sport since 1964 for men and was introduced for women as a full Olympic event in 1992, with the IJF playing a central role in maintaining the sport’s international calendar and integrity.