Judo to Adopt New Rules at 2020 Tokyo Olympics

The International Judo Federation announced December 9 a set of new rules for Judo to be adopted at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. The new Tokyo rules say the "Yuko" point is no longer counted in and men's games will be 4 minutes each instead of five.

According the IJF, the terms Yuko and Waza Ari are bound into one Waza Ari and there will no longer be "Ippon" in combinatin of two Waza Aris.

The new Tokyo rules say the abolition of Yuko leads to shorten the time for Osaekomi by 5 seconds to a span of 10 seconds to constitute Ippon.

Also, the number of Shido is reduced from 4 to 3 to constitute a loss by Hansoku.

The IJF explains that the series of changes being introduced effective Tokyo are intended to focus more on offensive play leading to Ippon.

As a result of the rule changes, men play 1 minute shorter, 5 to 4, as women currently do. The length of a game this way to introduce a new event Mixed Team Competition in Tokyo.

The IJF is to propose to the IOC, International Olympic Committee, Mixed Team Competition at Tokyo Olympics instead of the conventional separate competitions in the World Judo Championships.

Details of the new rules are due to be bared early January nest year.

A great fan of Judo, I personally support the new rules because overly point-directed Judo has aggravated this traditional sport in the sense that much of its charms are long lost - more refined skills to attain Ippon instead of piling up "points" for the sake of "winning a game",

True, these rule changes might at best help revive Judo to its original form of martial art - partially, if not totally. (Nathan Shiga)