News

Built not bought. 100% me.

JudoScotland is proud to support Clean Sport Week 2026 (11–17 May), the annual awareness campaign led by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) that champions fair play, integrity, and drug‑free sport.

This year’s theme, “Built not bought. 100% me.”, celebrates athletes who achieve true, lasting success through hard work, talent, and commitment. It sends a clear message: champions compete clean and don’t take shortcuts.

Clean Sport Week 2026 comes at a critical time. There is growing concern across the sporting and fitness community about the marketing and availability of Image and Performance Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs) online, including Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs).

Increasing amounts of online content are promoting the use of SARMs to young people, often claiming they are ‘safer alternatives to anabolic steroids’. This is not true. SARMs are dangerous, not approved for human consumption, and are banned in sport.

UKAD is using Clean Sport Week to shine a light on this misinformation and to remind people not to risk their health, career, or reputation by taking these substances. Don’t swallow the lies.

JudoScotland is committed to ensuring that everyone involved in judo — from elite athletes to grassroots participants and young fitness enthusiasts — has access to accurate information and is empowered to make healthy, drug‑free choices.

The message is simple: just don’t risk it.
True success is built, not bought.

🔗 To find out more about Clean Sport Week and access resources, visit: Clean Sport Week 2026 | UK Anti-Doping

🔗If you’re a coach looking for a CPD opportunity focused on clean sport, click here.

🔗Performance Pathway Athletes and Coaches, Play your part in protecting clean sport. Register for Clean Sport 2 here.

A brief update from the JudoScotland Chair, Marc Preston, on activity in April.

I hope everyone had a fantastic Easter and that you were able to enjoy a break during the month.

April was a relatively quiet month for events due to the school holidays, but that certainly didn’t mean a slowdown in activity behind the scenes, with plenty of work continuing across the organisation.

Firstly, I’d like to highlight the exciting new opportunities for judo that have arisen through sportscotland’s £18m increased investment. As part of this year’s Summer of Sport, affiliated clubs will have the opportunity to apply to host events, helping to engage new audiences and grow judo in their communities. Eligible clubs can develop Business Cases with JudoScotland as part of the Club Support programme, investment that is being targeted nationally to help clubs and communities ensure they have robust governance and to increase their capacity. A very exciting opportunity for our clubs and sport!

For me, much of April was taken up attending a number of essential governance and compliance meetings at JudoScotland. I would like to extend my thanks to the teams at AAB, Harper Macleod, and Children First, who are consistently on hand to provide JudoScotland with expert support, guidance, and advice.

On 28th April, I travelled to Walsall to attend the British Judo Association Board meeting. I’d like to thank Andrew Scoular, CEO, for looking after me during the trip and for kindly dropping me off at the airport afterwards.

Finally, with this summer’s Commonwealth Games fast approaching, best of luck to all athletes chasing qualification before the end‑of‑month deadline. An exciting summer of sport awaits!

Marc Preston, 7th Dan

Since the launch of Judo For All 2023–2027, our strategy has played a central role in shaping the journey of JudoScotland and the wider judo community across the country.

Over the course of this strategic cycle, the framework has guided how we support clubs to achieve and embed Three Steps Safe standards, invest in the development of people at all levels of the sport, and grow judo sustainably across Scotland. At its heart, the strategy has focused on creating positive, welcoming, and inclusive environments where judoka can thrive, on and off the mat.

To bring this journey to life, we invite you to watch the Judo For All 2023–2027 video, which highlights the purpose, progress, and impact of the strategy so far.

Learning from the Journey

As we approach the final stages of the current strategic cycle, this is an important moment to reflect on the journey so far. The ‘Judo For All’ strategy has provided a strong, effective framework for our work, guiding progress across participation, workforce development, and pathways within the sport.

The experiences, challenges, and successes of recent years give us valuable insight into what is working well and where our collective efforts have had the greatest impact. This learning allows us to build confidently on a robust and relevant strategy, rather than reinventing it.

By reflecting on what we’ve learned, we are well placed to look ahead and consider where JudoScotland should best focus its efforts in the next strategic cycle, continuing to support clubs, develop our workforce, and strengthen pathways for participants, volunteers, coaches, officials, and leaders across judo.

Your Voice Matters

As we look ahead, we will be engaging with our membership to gather feedback on the current strategy, specifically to help identify priority areas for focus and development in the next cycle.

Your views will play a vital role in shaping how we build on the ‘Judo For All’ strategy, ensuring our efforts remain targeted, impactful, and aligned with the needs of our community, and that judo continues to grow in safe, positive, and sustainable ways.

Glenrothes Martial Arts Centre (GMAC) Judo Club has been recognised as the first judo club in the UK to achieve Green Dojo Kiai status under the IJF Green Dojo Programme, reflecting months of dedicated work and a strong commitment to sustainability. With support from Greener Kirkcaldy, the Club has installed water-saving shower heads, improved their recycling measures, and are developing an energy efficiency plan.  For the Club, the certification is not an end-point but the beginning of a journey towards their long-term goal of becoming a net zero dojo.  

Commenting, Chair of GMAC Judo Club Stephen Black said: 

“We are incredibly proud to be recognised by the International Judo Federation as the UK’s first Green Dojo. This achievement reflects the hard work of our volunteers and members, including three generations of my own family who have been part of the club. Everyone has embraced the idea that judo is not just about what happens on the mat.” 

“We know that the biggest difference our club can make is within communities facing the greatest challenges, including poverty and young people who may be struggling to feel they belong. That drives everything we do from making the club accessible and affordable to all, to building a more sustainable future for the next generation.”

Commenting, local Councillor Lynda Holton, who has been supporting the Club, said: 

“I am absolutely delighted for GMAC Judo Club on receiving this impressive accolade.  They have worked hard to improve the Club’s green credentials and they have huge ambitions to make use of their riverside location to explore a hydro energy project.  I am fully supportive of their aim to become a net zero dojo and will do whatever I can to support them on their journey.” 

Commenting, Jenny Gilruth, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Education, said: 

“I’m delighted to see the Glenrothes Martial Arts Centre Judo Club recognised with ‘green dojo’ status by the International Judo Federation, the first dojo in the UK to achieve this milestone.  This is a fantastic testament to the hard work and commitment of Stevie and the entire team. 

“The club offers a welcoming environment for all ages, and I would encourage anyone interested in learning a new skill to get involved.” 

Become a Green Dojo Today and Be Part of the Change! 

Green Dojo provides clubs with an opportunity to play an active role in protecting our environment while strengthening their dojo culture and aligning with the values of judo. By participating, clubs can demonstrate leadership, engage their members in positive action, and contribute to the wider judo community’s commitment to a greener future. JudoScotland fully supports this initiative and looks forward to seeing our clubs lead the way in embedding sustainability within everyday judo practice. 

If your club is interested in becoming an IJF Green Dojo, you can find out more by clicking the link below.

JudoScotland is delighted to welcome a new cohort of passionate young leaders into the 2026 Senpai Programme!  

Building on the success of the Senpai Programme in 2024 and 2025, we are delighted to welcome eight judoka from seven venues across four clubs, to the 2026 Senpai Programme. Designed to develop the next generation of leaders within Judo in Scotland, the programme has had a powerful impact in recent years, with participants playing a vital role in bringing the Judo For All strategy to life. 

The programme offers meaningful opportunities to meet new people, build lasting friendships, and connect more deeply with the wider judo community. Throughout the journey, Senpai participants explore a range of development pathways within JudoScotland, gaining insight into coaching, officiating, volunteering, club support and personal development. 

The impact speaks for itself: 80% of the 2025 participants reported feeling more confident after completing the programme, with 20% saying they felt much more confident, and 100% would recommend the Senpai Programme. We can’t wait to see what this year’s cohort will achieve. 

JudoScotland Club Support Officer Sam Ingram, who leads the Programme, added “Building on the incredible achievements of previous Senapi participants, I am excited to work with this year’s cohort and see what they will achieve. In recent years, participants have embraced opportunities within their clubs and the wider community, taking on volunteer and paid roles, supporting younger judoka, and contributing with growing confidence and professionalism. With the strength and scope of this year’s cohort, I’m looking forward to seeing what they achieve through the programme.” 

Edinburgh University Judo Club is a club that makes creating an inclusive and supportive environment for women a priority 🥋 With a strong history of female leadership in the club and through Judo Girls Rise investment, they’ve built a culture where women aren’t just participating, they’re thriving. One individual at the forefront of this is Coach Xavière Hermant who has become a pillar in the club for all of it’s members.

March was another busy month for judo.

It started for me on Monday 2nd March at 8am when I had my weekly catch-up with our Vice Chair Sandy Hodge, to discuss the current issues and key topics.  These sessions are always highly productive and valuable.

Then, on the 3rd, Judith and I flew down to London for a prearranged meeting with the British Judo Council.  It is crucial that we maintain good working relationships with such organisations to the benefit of all.    Again, I felt that the meeting was highly beneficial and will be followed up on in due course.  I’d like to thank the British Council Team – Bob, Bernard and Annette for hosting and attending.

Next, we had the annual Hibari Kan event on 14th March at Ravenscraig.  Again, it was good to catch up with the membership and to talk about current issues, and, as always, the event went very well.

On 17th March, we had our JudoScotland board Meeting – a stacked agenda which ended up in the session overrunning by 30 minutes – apologies to attendees!

And finally, I would like to thank Sensei Yoshihiko Iura, 8th Dan, for an excellent Kata Weekend on 28th and 29th March at Cluarankwai Judo Club in Kilmarnock.  It’s great to have such incredible and influential figures in world judo sharing their skills and experience here in Scotland!

Marc Preston, 7th Dan 

In our latest episode of In Conversation With, we sat down with JudoScotland directors Anthony Daye and Richard Marsh to discuss their roles on the Board and the skills and expertise they bring from their lives outside of it, experience that is helping to shape our new Board portfolio model.

JudoScotland has taken an important step forward in strengthening its leadership and organisational effectiveness with the evolution of its governance structure, a move that reflects the Board’s innovative and forward-thinking approach to supporting the future of Scottish sport. 

The organisation is introducing a new Board portfolio model, designed to ensure each Director’s skills, experience, and expertise are directly aligned with JudoScotland’s strategic priorities. This targeted structure will help drive excellence across every area of the organisation while supporting clearer decision making and more efficient leadership. 

This development reinforces JudoScotland’s ongoing commitment to delivering Judo For All, a strategy focused on creating opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to realise their potential through judo. By strengthening governance now, the organisation is building the foundations needed to support a thriving, inclusive, and sustainable future for the sport. 

The project has been led by JudoScotland Vice Chair, Sandy Hodge, who highlighted the significance of this structural evolution: 

“This evolution of our governance model is essential to the successful realisation of our Judo For All strategy. By ensuring our Directors’ expertise is directly connected to key areas of the organisation, we are building a stronger, more effective Board, one that is fully equipped to support the future of judo in Scotland.” 

As part of the new model, each portfolio will be supported by two Board members, ensuring continuity, shared learning, and smooth transitions over time, a positive example of succession planning and longterm resilience in action. 

The portfolios will reflect the organisation’s core areas of focus, covering: 

• Corporate Excellence 

• Membership 

• Athlete Success 

• Impact on Scottish Society 

This structure not only strengthens Board alignment with strategic priorities but also reinforces JudoScotland’s role as a progressive, responsible, and well governed Scottish sports Governing body setting a strong example for leadership across the sector. 

Details on which Board members have been appointed to each area, can be found here. 

Are you ready to help shape the future of Scottish Judo? We’re seeking a passionate full-time Performance Pathway Coach to enhance our team at JudoScotland. This isn’t just another coaching role, this is your opportunity to lead, inspire, and elevate the next generation of Scottish judoka, from Pre-Cadet to Senior levels, guiding them toward success on the world stage. This role is initially a 12‑month fixed‑term position, with the possibility of extension beyond that period.

About the Role

As Performance Pathway Coach, you’ll:

• Coach and support judoka across all stages of our performance pathway

• Deliver inspiring, high-quality training sessions and workshops

• Work with athletes to set goals and track progress

• Build strong links with clubs and personal coaches

• Help organise camps, events and international opportunities

• Promote athlete wellbeing and support smooth transitions across the pathway

If you’re passionate about performance coaching and want to help shape the future of Scottish judo, this could be the role for you.

Download the application pack to find out more and apply.