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Judo
Judo has been part of the Paralympic Games since the 1988 Seoul Games and has quickly grown in the number of competitors. In Athens in 2004, 120 athletes competed in 13 weight classes (84 men in seven classes, 36 women in six), compared to the 1992 Paralympic Games in Barcelona, where there were only 53 judo competitors.
Athletes who are blind or have vision impairments compete under the rules of the International Judo Association at the Paralympic Games, with the exception of a mat that has different textures to mark zones and the competition area. Competitors must attack, defend, and maintain balance during a match in order to score points by using certain attack and counterattack techniques. Paralympic judo competition is open to male and female athletes who are blind/visually impaired. For additional information on eligibility, click on the Classification link on the left side of this page.
For more information on blind judo, please visit:
United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) - http://www.usaba.org/
The International Blind Sports Federation's (IBSA) judo page - click here
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