If you live in the United States, you know that liability is a major concern, and that liability insurance is a must. Suffice it to say that we are often paralyzed into a single course of action, or inactivity because of our fear of being sued. If you happen to be active in Judo, this paralysis affects the growth of Judo.
I was minding my own business from the sideline, monitoring the adults who were doing randori. One of my players had scrambled off the mat to get away from a disadvantageous ne waza situation. His training partner, a former Navy SEAL and jiujitsu black belt, mocking his manhood screamed “Coward!”
One of my readers is a father of four young, dynamic Judoplayers, who have great potential as Judo competitors. His kids have been to my practices and have competed in my in-house tournaments. He has participated in a USJA Coach Education Program I’ve run. He hates the new IJF rules. Who can blame him? So now, in addition to Judo, his kids are doing jiujitsu. His latest comments to my posts have encouraged me to address issues he brings up.
This is my final report on the 2010 World Championships. I was fortunate to speak with many foreign coaches, officials, and athletes in the stands. They provided me a non-American perspective on our sport, which not surprisingly mirrors how I feel about Judo’s new direction.
Most of the Europeans I talked with are not in favor of the new rules. The paradox is that it appears that an EJU clique of “reformers,” consisting of Marius Vizer, Vladimir Barta, and Juan Carlos Barcos, has hijacked the IJF, and is most responsible for the remaking of Judo along the lines of professional tennis.