17 Dec 2024 10:25
Inside news
Analysis and questions on the new rules
13 Dec 2024 22:05
by JudoCrazy and JudoInside
African Judo Union
This weekend the IJF Technical Seminar will take place in Istanbul to finalise and present the new rules until the World Championships in Budapest in June. After that event the rules will be evaluated. The new rules will be implemented for the first time at the international level during the Paris Grand Slam 2025.
In the weeks to come, an important phase will start to explain the rules and their application, baring in mind that the values of the sport and its educational dimension will remain at the center of present and future developments.
Let’s zoom into the new rules where our analyst Oon Yeoh made an interpretation of the new rules defining some questions that need to be answered after the Istanbul seminar. Let’s go through the rules that are in general positive.
1. Addition of a third score yuko, in ne-waza it will be given at 5 seconds.
From what we could gather, most people wanted the IJF to reintroduce the yuko score (though it should be noted no one was clamoring for koka). The main reason people wanted yuko back was that waza-ari was being given out too easily. Even when uke fell mainly on their front, waza-ari was often given. This really cheapened the waza-ari. By reintroducing yuko, lesser throws can be given a lesser score. So, this is a welcome development.
While the IJF has made clear that 5 seconds in hold-down means yuko, it did not indicate what kind of throws would merit a yuko. If uke falls on his side, is that a yuko?
2. Use of head to throw and defend allowed except in cadet events where it will be penalised with shido.
Headdiving isn’t encouraged at least. Nobody in their right mind would encourage head-diving. I think what the IJF means by this is that it recognizes that nobody really does a head dive on purpose. Whether it's attacking or defending, sometimes tori or uke finds themselves landing on their heads. It's not intentional. So, it really shouldn't be penalized.
Will this encourage more players to head dive. NO! Let's see if there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, if it's a really egregious head dive.
3. All jacket grips and gripping under the belt to the level of the top of the inner thigh are allowed but shido will be given if using the jacket grip or under the belt to the level of the top of the inner thighs grip negatively.
This is an intriguing one that leads to many questions. What is seems to say is that you can get any grip you want on the jacket, including the part of the jacket below the belt. But you can't grip negatively, that's all.
The main question we have is, does this mean unorthodox grips (like cross grip, Georgian grip, 2-on-1 grip) no longer require tori to attack within 2 or 3 seconds? Are all grips now considered to be equal to the traditional sleeve-lapel grip?
What does "to the level of the inner thigh" mean, exactly? If they are referring to the jacket skirt, wouldn't it be easier and clearer just to say: "gripping on the jacket skirt (below the belt) is allowed"?
4. Hooking the legs with the hand or arm, leg grabbing, gripping the trousers and touching the leg from the top of the inner thigh down is forbidden and will be penalised with shido.
There was a ton of speculation that leg grabs would be allowed. But alas, this is not to be.
The IJF uses the phrase: "the top of the inner thigh", which is rather confusing. Is it referring basically to the hips/groin area?
If it is, seems that gripping the trousers anywhere below the hips/groin area is forbidden. However, if the trousers are touched or gripped above the hips/groin area, is it allowed? The language of Rule #4 seems to indicate so.
Now, why such an odd rule? We can only speculate. Perhaps the IJF wants to allow incidental leg grabs that happen when a player does, for example, a one-handed sode, and the player's free hand touches the hip or buttocks area to guide uke over during the throw. Perhaps the IJF feels this shouldn't be penalised.
5. Kumi-kata will be given 30 secs time for an attack.
There was a time when traditional sleeve-lapel gripping allowed for grip-fighting and setting up throws for up to 45 seconds. Now, it seems to have been reduced to 30 seconds. But does this apply only to the traditional sleeve-lapel grip?
Or could it mean that an unorthodox or non-traditional gripping, like the Georgian grip, will also be given that 30 second grace period before shido is given?
6. Bear hug in tachi-waza is allowed except with hands or hands and arms clasped, forming a circle which will be penalised with shido.
This is probably the clearest rule. You can now lunge at uke and bear-hug him to throw him provided your hands don't clasp. Just hold onto his judogi instead, and you'll be fine.
Nobody we knew ever liked the bear hug ban. So this is a welcome rule change.
7. Unintentionally leaving the contest area in tachi-waza and ne-waza will be given “Mate!”
The question is if IJF are going to determine what is intentional and what is unintentional. So far it is rather subjective although we can see what works negative. Always athletes adjust to the rules and find the gaps. We have already seen developments that negative judo by pushing athletes outside was penalised, which is good. But if a player is in trouble, he can make it look like he is unintentionally leaving the mat area. It should be defined to be clear.
8. Kansetsu-waza applied while performing throws, with high injury risks (where uke cannot escape), will be penalised with hansoku-make. For kansetsu-waza applied with techniques, with lower injury risks (where uke has the possibility to escape), performed with two hands on one arm, it will be “Mate!” and “Shido!”
Well, we know waki-gatame will result in hansoku-make because uke really cannot escape that (and it has led to many broken arms). But what kind of armlocks would have "lower injury risks" (and thus be given shido instead)?
9. Positive activity in ne-waza will be taken in consideration.
For the longest time, only activity in tachi-waza is taken into consideration when awarding shido for passivity. A player could attack aggressively in newaza, and very nearly succeed, yet when they stand up, they could be given a shido for not attacking enough in tachi-waza. Now, attacking in newaza counts as well. This is a good development.
10. Reverse seoi-nage is allowed except in cadet events where it will be penalised with shido.
As for reverse seoi-nage, the only thing we can say is "Hooray!" There is not a single person we know who liked the ban on reverse seoi-nage, which is not a dangerous throw (not any more dangerous than your typical judo throw anyway).
As we have said before, if the reason for banning the reverse seoi is that it is dangerous, there are far many more throws in judo that are more dangerous. So, we really welcome this move.
Once the details are available, we will publish more commentary on the rules by our analyst Oon Yeoh. Make sure you subscribe to his service.
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