From 14 to 18 women per category at 2020 Olympic Games

For the very first time, an equal number of men and women will compete in judo at the summer Olympic Games. In a move that will significantly increase gender parity, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board approved the event program for the 2020 Tokyo Games on Friday. In judo it will mean a decrease for male athletes from 22-18 and increase of women from 14-18.

The International Judo Federation is one of six international federations that will send an equal number of male and female athletes to the Summer Games for the first time.

The news was warmly received by Federations. Judo Canada CEO Nicolas Gill reacted. “We strongly support male-female balance because all of our programs are based on that premise. It’s much more appropriate.”

In order to ensure that the sexes are equally represented, the executive board approved the recommendations of the Olympic Program Commission regarding the number of athletes per sport. There will therefore be a transfer of 38 judokas for 2020.

“To ensure that males and females are equally represented, they proposed that the 18 best judokas of each sex in the world rankings be selected for the Games. Currently, it’s the 22 best males and the 14 best females, which is unequal. Changing the quotas will obviously make it a little tougher for males to qualify, and a little easier for females,” added Gill.

The Tokyo Olympic Games will take place from July 24 to August 9, 2020 in Japan.

Last Grand Slam winner Miryam Roper reacted: “I am very pleased with the changes that include a mixed team event to the Olympic programme, as well as to send an equal number of both female and male fighters. It reflects the fact that women judo has been improving both in quantity as in quality, and is by no means secondary to men judo. “

“In the end, it is natural for judo. There is no race, no religion, no gender that divides us. We are Judo.”

Women’s participation over all sports grew from 44.2% in London to 45.6% in Rio to an estimated percentage of 48.8% in Tokyo in 2020. In judo it will be a transfer of 38 athletes to reach gender balance.

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