What is the IJF?
The International Judo Federation is judo's world governing body — founded in 1951, headquartered in Budapest, with roughly 200 national federations, and led since 2007 by Marius Vizer.[1] [2]
What does it govern?
The rules (revised each Olympic cycle); the annual World Championships and age-group worlds; the World Judo Tour; the Olympic ranking list and seeding; refereeing; and judo's Olympic and Paralympic (visually impaired) programs.[2] [3]
Why does it matter?
Every international judo credential — world medals, tour points, Olympic qualification — is IJF-recorded, and its ranking list is one of the most granular public ladders in combat sport.[2] [3]
References
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Judo (governance). Accessed August 2026.
- IJF — official site. Accessed August 2026.
- IJF — world ranking list. Accessed August 2026.