A JUDO CONTEST

Preliminaries

Players are differentiated either by different coloured belts (blue and white, not their grade belts) or different coloured suits (blue and white).

The two players are called onto the mat by the referee. Before entering the contest area they bow to each other as a mark of respect. They then move to the centre of the contest area and wait for the signal from the referee to start.

The contest

A Judo contest lasts for a fixed length of time, between two and five minutes depending on the age of the competitors. However, the referee will stop and start the contest continually for several reasons, including if players stray out of the contest area, a stalemate is reached in groundwork, or a penalty needs to be awarded. The contest continues until the allocated time expires, or until someone wins outright with a score of ippon.

Scores

A player can win a Judo contest outright by a score of ippon. The referee awards this score if:

  • A player is thrown largely onto his back with force, speed and control;
  • A player is held down on his back for the required length of time (often 25 seconds), or
  • A player submits from a strangle or armlock.

A waza-ari can be scored if the technique falls just short of earning an ippon. The referee awards this score if:

  • A player is thrown but without one of the elements necessary for an ippon, or
  • A player is held down on his back for a shorter length of time (often 20 seconds).

A score of two waza-aris is equivalent to ippon and wins the contest outright.

A referee may also award a minor scores of yuko for throws which do not merit ippon or waza-ari, and for short hold downs.

If a player does not win the contest outright by ippon or two waza-aris, the winner is determined by the number of waza-aris scored, followed by the number of yukos.

If the players remain tied at the end of the contest, the referee may allow a further short period of competition where the first score of any kind wins the contests. This is known as the “golden score”. If players remain tied after the golden score period, the referee and corner judges decide the winner on a majority basis (hantei).

Penalties

Players may also receive penalties for performing illegal acts. If a penalty (“shido“) is awarded, the player’s opponent receives an automatic score as follows:

1st shido – no penalty score;
2nd shido – yuko;
3rd shido – waza-ari;
4th shido – disqualification: ippon;

Some infringements are considered so severe that disqualification is immediate. These include attempting a prohibited, dangerous technique, and wearing hard objects on the mat such as rings, watches, and shin guards.