Judo made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games in Japan in 1964, exactly 82 years after it was created in Japan. By writing its own chapter in Olympic history, judo’s inclusion marked a major turning point for martial arts: it was the first time a Japanese martial art was included in the Olympic program.

During this first appearance, judo was reserved for men only, and featured just four weight categories.

Nearly 30 years later, women’s judo made its Olympic debut at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, another historic milestone for Olympic judo. Since then, men and women compete in an equal number of events.

Since Tokyo 2020, a mixed team event has been added to the Olympic judo program!

The inclusion of judo in the Olympic Games has transformed it into a major international sport, while never losing its traditional values. Judo itself is the perfect example of flexibility and adaptability!