Overview
Judo is a Japanese martial art founded in 1882 by Professor Jigoro Kano, who developed it from traditional jujutsu techniques. Its name translates as "the gentle way" — a reference to the philosophical principle of using an opponent's force and momentum against them, rather than relying on raw strength.
Judo made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo 1964 Games, with women's judo added at Barcelona 1992. Athletes compete in seven weight categories per gender — from 60kg to over 100kg for men, and from 48kg to over 78kg for women — alongside the mixed team event introduced at Tokyo 2020.
Matches are decided in two ways: an ippon, which ends the contest immediately when an opponent is thrown cleanly and with control onto their back; or by accumulating waza-ari points from less complete throws. Groundwork — pins, chokes, and joint locks — plays an equally important role in determining outcomes. Judo is practised in more than 200 countries under the International Judo Federation (IJF), which places particular emphasis on respect, discipline, and character development alongside competitive performance.
Featured News
Team Qatar Delegation Celebrates Qatar’s Karate Success at Bayt Qatar
Nagoya , Japan - Team Qatar’s delegation at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games celebrated the achievements of the national karate team at Bayt Qatar in Nagoya after the athletes secured two medals , one silver and one bronze at the Games.The celebration was attended by H.E Mohammed Yousef Al Mana, First Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee; H.E Jassim Al Buenain, Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee; and Eid Al Marikhi, President of the Qatar Taekwondo, Judo and Karate Federation, alongside karate medalists Abdulrahman Mustafa, who won silver, and Abdullah Rashad, who claimed bronze.The celebration recognized the performances and efforts of the two athletes, who reached the podium and raised the Qatari flag at the continental sporting event. It also provided an opportunity to celebrate the significance of their achievements for both Qatari karate and sport in the country more broadly.
Qatar’s Abdullah Rashad Secures Bronze in Men’s Under-84kg Kumite
Aichi-Nagoya, Japan -Team Qatar karate athlete Abdullah Rashad Mohi El Din Babiker claimed the bronze medal in the men’s under-84kg kumite competition at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Japan.Rashad secured the medal after an impressive 8-0 victory over Palestine’s Abdullah Al Khatib, producing a strong performance and establishing his superiority from the outset.The bronze was Qatar’s second karate medal at Aichi-Nagoya 2026, following Abdulrahman Mustafa’s silver in the men’s under-60kg event.Qatar’s karate athletes have delivered impressive performances at the Games, adding two medals to Team Qatar’s tally despite the high level of competition.
Abdulrahman Mostafa wins Qatar’s first silver medal at Aichi–Nagoya 2026
Nagoya: Team Qatar’s Abdulrahman Mostafa claimed Qatar’s first silver medal at the Aichi–Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Japan.Mostafa delivered an impressive performance to secure silver in the men’s under-60kg karate event and earn a place on the podium.The Team Qatar athlete reached the final after a series of impressive victories yesterday. He defeated Uzbekistan’s Mukhriddin Torakhonov 4–1 in the round of 16 before overcoming Vietnam’s Chu Van Duc 10–4 in the quarter-finals. He continued his fine form in the semi-finals, recording a commanding 7–1 victory over Malaysia’s Hari Sankar.In the final, experience played a decisive role as Kuwait’s Abdullah Shaaban claimed an 8–0 victory to win gold, while Mostafa took the silver medal.The silver represents a major achievement for the promising Qatari athlete, who demonstrated his considerable potential and delivered an impressive performance in his Asian Games debut.Mostafa is considered one of Qatar’s leading karate athletes, having previously won gold in the men’s under-60kg category at the 24th Asian Cadet, Junior and Under-21 Karate Championships.Karate competition will continue tomorrow, with Team Qatar’s athletes aiming to win more medals and raise the national flag high at the Aichi–Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.Qatar’s Yaman Ashraf will compete in the men’s under-67kg category, beginning his campaign against Bangladesh’s Islam Munirul in the round of 16.Ashraf will be hoping to secure victory in his opening bout and progress confidently towards medal contention.Qatar are represented in the karate competition by three athletes: Abdulrahman Mostafa in the men’s under-60kg category, Yaman Ashraf in the under-67kg category and Abdullah Rashad in the under-84kg category.
Abdulrahman Moustafa Wins Gold for Qatar at Asian Karate Championships
Amman: Qatar’s Abdulrahman Moustafa claimed the gold medal in the men’s U21 under-60kg kumite event at the 24th Asian Cadet, Junior and U21 Karate Championships, currently underway in Amman, Jordan.Moustafa produced a strong run through the competition to secure Qatar’s first gold medal of the championships.After receiving a bye into the quarterfinals, he defeated Chinese Taipei’s Shih Po-Yun 11–3 before overcoming Saudi Arabia’s Sultan Al-Masiri 11–7 in the semifinals.In the final, Moustafa defeated India’s Viraj Saini 4–1 to claim the Asian title and gold medal.His victory took Qatar’s medal tally at the championships to two, following Hassan Mansour’s silver medal in the junior over-76kg category on Wednesday.Qatar are represented at the championships by Moustafa in the U21 under-60kg category and Mansour in the junior over-76kg category. The delegation is headed by Rashid Al-Hajri, Assistant Secretary-General of the Qatar Taekwondo, Judo and Karate Federation.The championships feature kata and kumite competitions across the cadet, junior and U21 categories, with more than 350 male and female athletes from 30 Asian countries taking part.The 24th edition of the continental championships concludes in Amman on Friday.