World Judo Day 28th October 2022
World Judo Day, organised by the International Judo Federation (IJF), is an opportunity to celebrate the values of Judo. This year the IJF announced that the theme for World Judo Day 2022 is Inclusion, Uniting the Judo Family. What better way is there to celebrate inclusion than by sharing some inspiring stories of those within the Scottish Judo community and their personal experiences of inclusion in Judo.
Chris Nicol – Tams Brig Judo Club
Chris, a Deafblind Judoka who trains at Tams Brig Judo Club with coaches Charlie and Michelle Strachan, shared his Judo story.
“Being involved in Judo has had many positives. Aside from the obvious physical benefits, I have met lots of new people and made many friends. The training keeps me focused and driven to achieve my targets, and I have developed a passion to become a coach myself. Judo helps me to remain positive and feel motivated about life. It keeps me smiling and gives me strength and courage to face up to difficulties and challenges.”
“At Tam’s Brig, the club have been great with their approach to inclusion and adapting Judo to suit individuals. I have low vision and hearing, so there have been several challenges to overcome. Coaches and other players have learned tactile sign language to help communication – there is actually a poster with the alphabet pinned up on the wall – and I am always able to “feel” how techniques are done so I have a clear image in my head.”
“My experience of Judo is that it is an inclusive sport and I have been able to get involved in some courses and events – including last year’s The Gathering, which was fantastic. I would love to see adaptive, and VI categories included at some of JudoScotland’s competitions, which I think could help grow the sport and encourage more people to participate and compete.”
Kirsten Taylor – Tayside Judo Club
Kirsten Taylor IBSA Grand Prix Nur-Sultan 2022 Silver Medallist, who trains with Tayside Judo and is also on the GB Para-Potential pathway shared her Judo story.
“Judo is the most inclusive sport I’ve taken part in. Right from the first session, there was no awkwardness about my visual impairment, in other sports I’ve done they’ve either treated me like I’m made of glass, or they’ve tried to totally ignore the fact I need extra help. With judo the whole club are great, the coaches make an effort to explain the demos clearly so I can follow them and then they check I’ve understood afterwards and show me again if needed. Everyone makes sure I’m sorted, finding partners, being in the right place, and it’s all done completely naturally. I never have to ask for help, it’s already there. I’ve never felt more normal.”
“Judo has massively improved my confidence. When I first started I wouldn’t go anywhere by myself and there was no way I would go somewhere new on my own but now I think nothing of travelling all over the country by myself, and new places and people aren’t such a problem.”
“Judo people are good people. I travel to training in Perth twice a week by train and there is always someone who is happy to give me a lift from the train station to training and back again. Without the support of Tayside Judo Club I wouldn’t be competing all over the world and loving every second of the journey.”
Murray McConnell – Sportif
Murray, a VI Judoka who trains with Sportif Judo competed at last years Scottish National Closed Championship where he was able to not only compete but come away with a bronze medal.
“Judo and sport in general have improved my fitness and help to build my confidence. It has also help build good friendships with other judo players. It has positively impacted other aspects of my life as it has given me the confidence to try other things. For example, running, hillwalking, cycling on a tandem.”
“Judo has been inclusive because the support that my club Sportif, JudoScotland and British Judo have given me has allowed me to train and take part in competitions along with everyone else and my teammates help me off and on the mat.”
Chris Murphy – Shettleston Judo Club
Chris Murphy, who will be representing GB next week at the Virtus Oceania/Asia Games, shares his experience as an ID Judoka.
“I received a letter through my school that informed me about the opportunity to take part in a special need’s judo class. I’d tried lots of different sports before this but nothing seemed to take hold, I gave judo a go just for fun, I kept going back for a couple of weeks and I fell in love with it. That was it, I was hooked.”
“When I was younger, I wasn’t really a sociable kid, to put it nicely. I didn’t really like physical contact or people being in my bubble. For some reason after those couple of weeks of judo this kind of went away, happy days.”
“Its strange, judo fixed a whole lot of things, it made me very social and very chatty.”
“I started taking judo more seriously at 13 or 14 I’d say, originally, I just did SN classes, over time I started doing more SN classes and then started doing mainstream classes as well. After this I started doing more and more mainstream classes.”
“When I stop competing, I would like to keep coaching and running my adaptive sessions. I would like to continue spreading awareness of adaptive and ID divisions. I’m autistic and I see lots of autistic kids doing sport and some click with some sports and some don’t, but I just want to show others that if I can do this then others can as well.”
The 2022 JudoScotland Annual General Meeting
The 2022 JudoScotland Annual General Meeting
The 2022 JudoScotland Annual General Meeting takes place this weekend (Saturday 29 October 2022) at sportscotland National Training Centre, Inverclyde at 6 pm.
This year’s AGM will cover several important items including the election of the Chair and two Non-Executive Directors to the Board. Members have also been asked to vote on proposed changes to the JudoScotland Articles of Association.
Online Proxy Voting has now closed – for those attending the AGM on Saturday, please ensure that unless you have submitted a proxy online, your club secretary must contact info@judoscotland.com to advise of a nominated proxy in their absence prior to 12pm on Saturday 29th October to entitle them to vote on the club’s behalf.
Chris Murphy Selected To Represent GB at The Virtus Oceania/Asia Games, Australia
Scottish Judoka Chris Murphy (-81kg) from Shettleston Judo Club has been selected to represent Team GB at the Virtus Oceania/Asia Games which will take place from 5 – 11 November 2022 in Brisbane, Australia.
Nine Judoka from Great Britain will compete at The Virtus Oceania Asia Games 2022, an international multi-sport competition in the Oceania Asia region for elite athletes with an intellectual impairment.
We sat down with current ID World Champion and Special Olympic Silver Medallist, Chris to talk about his selection.
"There is two sides to this, the judoka side of me is ecstatic about being selected for the Games because I’ll get to fight people from that region of the world, which will include China and Japan. I’ve never had the opportunity to fight people from those regions before, so I’m really excited about that."
"The other side of me, the personal side is really excited because it’s Australia, I’m going to AUSTRALIA, it’s a bucket list thing for me."
"If I can medal there then I’d be really happy and if I get the gold then I will be ecstatic, but I’m more looking forward to going over and having a good tournament. I want to see if my judo is where it needs to be, as this is new territory for me."
"I’m looking at this as a precursor to the global games, whoever I fight here I may also come across them at the global games so this will be a good way to see if my judo can match up, this is a bit of a testing ground."
"I just wanted to give a special thanks to my sensei Alex Reid, Paul Laverty and Allan Philip as well as to everyone that has supported me over the years."
Chris' coach Paul Laverty added "On a level playing field against his peers, against people with the same conditions he has, he excels to a different level, he trains to a different level, and he’s the humblest. He’s probably the most loved person in judo that I know, he is absolutely adored by everybody."
Judith McCleary, JudoScotland CEO added “JudoScotland is looking forward to supporting Chris on his exciting journey towards classification and we are pleased to be able to make a financial contribution towards his costs. Chris’ journey to classification is an important step for elite Judoka with an intellectual impairment”
JudoScotland would like to wish Chris and the GB Team the best of luck at the Games. The team heading to The Virtus Oceania Asia Games are self-funded so if you would like to support them on their journey you can do so here.
The Gathering Returns This Weekend!
Nearly 200 Judoka will take to the mat this weekend as the Gathering returns to Inverclyde to celebrate its 10th Year! Our flagship coach development event, The Gathering is set to host a fantastic range of guests across the weekend.
So whether you are a seasoned pro or new to the Gathering here’s what to expect.
What To Expect…
Saturday
The weekend will kick off on Saturday morning with Dr Andy Dalziell, the co-designer of the Better Movers & Thinkers programme that Education Scotland has embedded within their physical education programmes. Andy’s session will link directly to the JudoScotland Player Development Framework, as he leads an enjoyable practical session which is sure to engage your brain first thing on a Saturday morning.
Leading on from Andy’s session, the Lead Physical Preparation Coach at JudoScotland, Greg Valentine will link critical components from the previous session into Judo. His session is designed in line with the Player Development Framework to ensure athletes' physical preparation for judo.
Saturday morning will then be rounded off by Judo legend and The Gathering veteran, Neil Adams MBE. Neil will round up the two previous sessions by linking them into a Judo session. The aim of the three sessions is to show the golden thread that runs throughout and how the preparation phases provide a very important platform for coaches to build the judo technical content.
After lunch, JudoScotland is delighted to welcome one of the biggest names in Judo to visit Scotland, Masashi Ebinuma. Three-time World Champion, Masashi will lead the first session of the afternoon before being joined by his wife Kana who is a top-level competitor in her own right, both sessions will have us taking part in some Japanese tachi-waza. Saturday afternoon will conclude with our traditional ‘Gathering randori’, an opportunity to put what you have learnt into practice.
Saturday evening will once again be a fantastic opportunity to socialise with the Scottish Judo community. The JudoScotland AGM will also take place at the Gathering starting at 6 pm.
Sunday
The second day of The Gathering will kick-off with a ne-waza session led by Kana Ebinuma. A key component to the Player Development Framework’s 54321 model, Kana will take the lead on ne-waza session. For the final session of the 10th Gathering, Three-time World Champion, Double Olympic medallist, Five-time All Japan Champion, Grand Slam Champion in Paris, Tokyo & Osaka and Grand Prix Champion Masashi Ebinuma will return to the mat to conclude the weekend.
We look forward to sharing a round-up of the weekend after the event!
For full event details, click here.
The World Anti-Doping Agency Releases 2023 Prohibited List
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has published its 2023 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods.
Whether you’re an athlete or Athlete Support Personnel, it’s vital you are aware of the changes, so you don’t get caught out and end up with a ban from sport.
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) will be providing further information in October on the major changes to the 2023 List. The List will come into effect on 1 January 2023.
Three Scottish Judoka Head To Paris for the Cadet Futures Camp
JudoScotland Board Nominations
In advance of this year’s AGM and in-line with the current Articles of Association (the Articles), we gave notice on the 5th of September for the nomination of the following positions on the JudoScotland Board:
- Chair of the Board and;
- Two (2) Non-Executive Directors.
Candidates were asked to submit a pen portrait detailing their suitability for the role by Thursday 29 September 2022. The following candidates submitted an application for consideration by the JudoScotland Membership. The successful candidates will be elected at the JudoScotland AGM on the 29th of October.
Meet our Chair Nominees – Johnny Imrie and Marc Preston (Online Session)
Date & Time: Monday 24th October 6pm – 6.45pm
Registration close: Monday 24th October 9 am
An online session offers our members an informal opportunity to hear about our candidate Chair’s plans and for you to ask any questions.
Member Voting
All clubs that are eligible to vote will be contacted directly by Civica. if you have any queries please contact info@judoscotland.com.
Chair of the Board Candidates
Johnny Imrie
“To provide growth and development opportunities for every club. Review and improve the value of the membership services. To chair with transparency and integrity and be the change JudoScotland needs.”
Marc Preston
“It’s been an honour and a privilege to have been your Chairman for the past 18 months. During that time I’ve been part of the team who’ve developed the new JudoScotland 4-year strategy and I’d love the chance to now implement it.”
Non-Executive Director Candidates
David Gibson
“If elected, I would be a voice for grass roots judo, I would ensure that JudoScotland represents the recreational, performance and health aspects of judo equally.”
Mark Brien
“I will try to bring coaches, referees and officials together, working towards better competitions.”
Sarah Clark
“Judo is my life. I am passionate about judo, people and supporting others to be the best they can be.”
The 2021 JudoScotland Annual Report
The 2021 JudoScotland Annual Report
The 2021 Annual Report showcases the highlights of JudoScotland for the year 1st January - 31st December 2021. Although far from a 'normal' year for Judo activity in Scotland, there were some notable highlights as Judo activity returned.
View the video below to find out more.
BJA Weigh In Update - With Immediate Effect - For All Events and Competitions
Please note that with immediate effect there are changes to the rules for weigh ins.
This affects all competitions and events, at all levels as of 6 Oct 2022
With immediate effect, all under 18s must be weighed in through an open weigh-in.
The open weigh-in must be conducted in an open environment where the scales, players, officials and parents can be openly seen.
Players must not get changed into their judogi trousers and/or t-shirts in the weigh-in area; they must arrive already changed or use the appropriate changing rooms.
All players who are under 18 MUST weigh in wearing contest-legal judogi trousers, and a plain round-neck t-shirt.
The following allowances are to be used for open weigh ins:
| Weight Groups | Weight Allowance |
| All weight groups -66kg/ -63kg and below | 0.6kg |
| All weight groups -73kg/ -70kg and above | 0.8kg |
Where an event has both over and under 18s in a category, there must be provisions in place to keep the open weigh in separate to the closed weigh in.
An option would be to weigh all competitors in using an open weigh in, as there does not have to be a separation of under-18s from over 18s in an open weigh in but where everyone must be dressed in contest legal judogi trousers, and a plain round neck t-shirt.
We plan to review the weight allowances in January, following the British Championships.
Please note that this will shortly be shown in the tournament handbook.
If you have any questions or feedback about the above please contact events@britishjudo.org.uk
Proposed Changes to the JudoScotland Articles of Association
JudoScotland has recently undertaken a thorough review of the Articles of Association and has a number of recommended amendments for the approval of the membership.
Since the last review in 2015, standards of governance have changed significantly, and following an independent audit by KPMG earlier this year, a number of recommendations were suggested as critical for JudoScotland.
Representing our Board, Graham Campbell has led the review in recent months; he has worked closely with our new CEO Judith McCleary and other Board members to identify appropriate changes to the articles to ensure JudoScotland has a robust governance that will support us in reaching our future ambitions.
On the proposed amendments, Graham Campbell (JudoScotland Treasurer and Corporate Working Group) comments:
“The purpose of the proposed changes is to improve governance, increase diversity and align more closely with accepted business practice. If we are successful in this, we will also improve the breadth of Board expertise and be more able to support the company in strategic planning and initiatives”.
Speaking on behalf of sportscotland, our Partnership Manager Sandy Hodge comments:
“Having good governance is key to the success of any organisation. Speaking on behalf of sportscotland as an investment partner, we are in full support of the Board’s recommended changes which, if approved, will bring JudoScotland’s articles into greater alignment with the Code for Sports Governance”.
Should members have any questions related to the proposals, we will be hosting an online session on the 24th of October at 7 pm. This session is an opportunity for you to find out more from Marc Preston (Chair), Graham Campbell (Treasurer and Corporate Working Group) and Judith McCleary (Chief Executive Officer)
Full details on how eligible clubs can vote will be sent out directly via our external partner Civica on Thursday 13th of October.