<p class="reg-lead">IJF Sport and Organisation Rules, version 14 August 2026 — the reference text for staging IJF events and for who may take part in them.</p>
<table class="reg-facts">
<tr><td>Version</td><td><b>14 August 2026</b> — replaces the version of 24 July 2026</td></tr>
<tr><td>Extent</td><td>298 pages, thirteen chapters and seven appendices</td></tr>
<tr><td>Status</td><td><strong>In force</strong></td></tr>
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<h2>What the SOR governs</h2>
<p>The SOR is the largest and most frequently used IJF instrument, turning what the Statutes set at the level of principle into operating rules: eligibility, nationality, entries and accreditation, weigh-in, competition systems, world ranking lists, judogi rules, refereeing rules, and the medical and anti-doping handbook. Unlike the Statutes, it is revised often — this version replaces one published less than a month earlier.</p>
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<h2>Athlete nationality and changing it<span class="reg-tag">section 1.7</span></h2>
<p>An athlete must hold the nationality of the federation entering them, evidenced by a valid passport; an athlete with several citizenships may compete for only one country.</p>
<ol class="reg-tl">
<li><b class="t">The three-year rule</b>An athlete who has represented a country at the Olympic Games, world, continental or regional championships, or events on the IJF calendar may represent a new country only after <strong>three years</strong> have passed since last representing the former one.</li>
<li><b class="t">Shortening it</b>The IJF may shorten or waive the three years — but only on the <strong>written agreement of both national federations</strong> and with a passport for the new country. The authority is Rule 41 of the Olympic Charter and its Bye-law.</li>
<li><b class="t">The filing deadline</b>A request tied to a specific event must reach the IJF <strong>21 days before that event's registration deadline</strong>; later than that, the IJF gives no assurance it will be processed in time.</li>
<li><b class="t">Exclusions</b>Veterans, military and kata competitors who appear on no world ranking list fall outside the rule and may change sporting nationality at any time on producing a passport.</li>
<li><b class="t">Refugee status</b>Separate routes exist for athletes holding official refugee status and for the IJF Refugee Team, where a refugee travel document or photographic identity plus an IJF authorisation letter stands in for the passport.</li>
</ol>
<p>Referee nationality runs a parallel regime of its own at section 1.8.</p>
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<h2>Power of amendment</h2>
<p>The IJF states expressly that it may amend its rules "in a reasonable manner at any time" and notify members "by any method as the IJF deems appropriate" — email, website publication, or a declaration at a meeting. For anyone citing the SOR, that makes the version date part of the citation: a reference to "the SOR" without one points at a moving text.</p>
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Notes related to the tag competition_rules

IJF Sport and Organisation Rules — version 14 August 2026