Objections to the refereeing rules changes that the IJF wants to implement

After the World Championships in Rio de Janeiro in the year 2007, the refereeing Director of the International Judo Federation, Juan Carlos Barcos, in his ambition of making changes to the refereeing rules without considering if he damages or not the competitive-technical aspects of Judo internationally has tried to introduce a series of changes in refereeing in a non consulting way; and without any type of explanations of its possible benefits to Judo, a rule for the application the Video Delay System, known as the CARE SYSTEM. Throughout these pages we are to retell the story of what has happened and what is happening with the implementation of some aspects of the rules, that ARBITRARILY Mr. Juan Carlos Barcos, along with Mr. Pepe Roses want to implement.

The history begins after the World Judo Championships in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). An informal meeting was held, during the month of November 2007, by the Refereeing Commission of the International Judo Federation in the lobby of the hotel designated by the Organizing Committee for the staging of an Olympic test denominated Good Look Beijing. During the aforementioned meeting, Mr. Barcos hinted in the possibility of making changes in the rules; eliminating from the scoring systems the Koka and the Waza-ari (leaving only the scores of Yuko and Ippon). At the same time he hinted the possibilities changing the penalties, in view of their values and not in view of their numbers. Therefore, the first Shido can never be a Yuko, under the new changes.

As mentioned before, this was an informal meeting, and the subject was not brought up by the commission during that stay. It was never mentioned to the referees that participated during that test event, nor mentioned anymore to the mentioned of the commission.

During the month of January 2008, we received an email by Mr. Ovidio Garnero, who was a member of the Refereeing Commission of the Panamerican Judo Union until the World Championships of 2007 (result of non consulted resolution of Mr. Juan Carlos Barcos, in which required the the members of the Refereeing Commissions of Continental Unions could not be referees in World Championships and Olympic Games. Once again, a non consulted resolution that made Mr. Julio Clemente and Mr. Ovidio Garnero resign from the Refereeing Commission of the PJU.

This is the beginning of a soap opera that, apparently, has no end. Up to the moment, an even as the Video Delay System is not of official use en the events of the International Judo Federation; the same is used freely without having rules for it implementation. The same system that, as it happened during the World Championships at Rio de Janeiro and the Olympic Games, is used solely with Mr. Barcos’ criteria (who besides being the Refereeing Director of the International Judo Federation is also the president of the Royal Spanish Judo Federation, (Spanish Judo Federation) and his assistant, Mr. Pepe Roses, is the Refereeing Director of the same Federation.

It’s quite a surprise that, with the logo of the International Judo Federation and the Olympic Games-Beijing 2008, Mr. Pepe Roses sends a document on behalf of the Refereeing Commission of the International Judo federation (being himself the author) to different regional federations in Spain, affiliated to the Spanish Judo Federation, where they indicated a series of changes in the refereeing rules that will be applied starting 2008. In this letter, not only the changes in the scoring system, penalties, real combat time, Osaekomi time, new criteria for borders actions were mentioned; but, also, the competition system where the double elimination repechage system is eliminated and changed by a single elimination (under the allegation that this will make events run more quickly. This, at the same time, will take away all possibilities that many countries can obtain better results; converting Judo merely in a sport practiced by elite athletes. Even more, it is also illogical because, it pretends to shorten the combat times and the duration of daily events, but, it is expected to increase the number of days during the staging of the events.

In the letter sent by the National Refereeing Director of the Spanish Judo Federation and Associated Sports, only the scores of Yuko and Ippon contemplated. They talk about only two times in Osaekomi: 10 seconds for Yuko and 20 for Ippon. They also talk about penalties where they can give up to a maximum of three Shidos, whereas the first Shido is free (since it is not the equivalent of Yuko). Two Shidos will be the equivalent to one Yuko and three Shidos will be Hansoku-make (this will equal an Ippon). That same document mentions lowering the actual combat time to four minutes and in the case of Golden Score, it will be the same 4 minutes.

In regards to the actions on the border, a new modification will be made, in order to use the European style. The same style that Mr. Barcos highly criticized a couple of years back, in which he said that in Europe, unfortunately, the real meaning of the border rule had not been understood; and its use was been misused, since it was allowed to throw a competitor that executed a technique being outside of the combat area. Now Mr. Barcos, who again feels European, changes his thoughts and adopts as correct the way to enforce the rule, as it is done in Europe.  However, every referee in Pan-America will always remember those comments made by Mr. Barcos in Colorado Springs (USA) during the Women’s Refereeing Seminar of the PJU and afterwards, during the refereeing clinic of the Junior Panamerican Judo Championships; in which he stated: “what they are doing in Europe is wrong, since Mr. Snijders has not learned how to interpret like you in Pan-America and other continental unions the new rule of the border area.” Now Mr. Barcos, once again, changes opinion; and I want to make it clear that we are not against the way Europe has applied the new refereeing rule of the border area but, against the way this has been conveniently handled in a political manner by Mr. Barcos, being on one or the other side of the world Judo politics.

It is then that Mr. Roses ends his communication establishing other changes like the use of the direct elimination competition system. Mr. Roses ends his communication with the following note: “these modifications will be performed as a ‘Test’ in various Championships throughout Spain, for which statistic data will be compiled; as well as studies on its development, evolution and improvements. Then, similar tests will be made in various countries from various Continents. Once all the data has been compiled, it will be submitted to the EC of the IJF for its approval, in order to improve and modernize our sport and specially its Olympic consolidation. However, it will be implemented afted the Olympic Games Beijing ‘08”

And we ask ourselves… What countries and in which continents? Under what supervision? Why it was not published on the web site of the International Judo Federation? And to make matters worse, why was this practically handled in secret? This is a first in the international Judo world.

But we shall also ask ourselves if Spain represents the only country with the power to perform the tests of these rules, and furthermore make opinions on its implementation; because, these letters were never sent in an official way to the continental unions and to the members of the Refereeing Commission of the International Judo Federation. This, in order to test the aforementioned proposal at the continental and national events (as traditionally done throughout the years in the American continent), would have permitted the countries in Pan-America give their opinions, as well as the athletes, coaches and referees; furthermore, gather surveys by the Refereeing Commission of the Panamerican Judo Union.

To confirm what has been said herewith, click here in order to obtain the first letter sent by Mr. Pepe Roses in January 2008 to all the national federations in Spain: nuevasreglas.pdf. However, it was never sent in official way to any other continental union, nor published in web site of the International Judo Federation.

At the Panamerican Judo Union, we have questioned the elimination of Waza-ari in different sceneries, events, Panamerican Championships and regional events during 2008. This, because we think that the elimination of such traditional score will eventually deform judo; besides, thinking that we who are judokas know what is the unquestionable difference between a Waza-ari, a Yuko and an Ippon. We have knowledge that the Japanese are also in disagreement in the elimination of the Waza-ari, sine traditionally the scores in Japan, in reference to Judo, are Waza-ari and Ippon.

Afterwards, and during the month of March 2008, Mr. Pepe Roses sends a new letter to the national Federation of Spain where he modifies the first letter; since he knew the judo community worldwide (at least who still has conscience) will not accept the elimination of Waza-ari. He then sends a new communication where the Waza-ari was included, the number of shidos was raised to four, the time for Golden Score was decreased to two minutes, as well as the total combat time was reduced to four minutes. Which, in a matter of fact, the latter two is more tied to the sports commission than to the refereeing commission.

Here you can see the letter the Mr. Roses sent to the National Federations of Spain: 2da-Modificacion-reglas-arbitraje-2008.pdf. This communication shows the insecurity in the criteria at the application of some of the rules, which apparently were made to meet particular interests.

Other severe problems that will soon be presented throughout the international judo community will be the use of the Video Delay System, known as CARE, in use for four years now during international events. This system does not have a user’s manual, even though on behalf of the Panamerican Judo Union, we have requested the creation of such user’s manual in the meetings of the refereeing Commission of the Pan-American Judo Union. It has always been said, in the Refereeing Commission, that the use of the Video Delay System is for EXCEPTIONAL situations. For those cases in which a bad application of the rule where a competitor that did not deserve to win will obtain victory over his opponent; letting be clear that the exceptional cases were the following:

·       In those cases where a competitor throws his opponent by Ippon or any other score, in which the referee or judges will give the score erroneously to who did not executed the throw.

·       In those cases where a competitor throws his opponent with techniques such as Uchi-mata and at the same time diving head first, where the referee and judges gave an Ippon to this competitor when he really should be given a Hansoku-make.

·       Same situations for waki gatame abs kawazu gake negative techniques where the referees cannot appreciate that this type of infringement was performed.

This was the use originally intended for the Video Relay System or CARE by the members of the Refereeing Commission of the International Judo Federation. This Video System was intended for the exclusive use of the Commission and not that of the coaches. This was never accomplished, since it was illogical that a video was taken and then a refereeing call was changed and the parties involved could not see the video. The fundamental point of all this is that the video system was not intended to change kokas to yukos, nor waza-aris to ippons; and if that will be the case, the members of the refereeing commission will be the one refereeing each combat and not the regular referees. This will bring as a principal consequence that the referees will lose their confidence and, what is worst, they will be turned into robots, o better yet, puppets of the commission. Losing their individuality, provoking that the remedy is worse than the condition. This will bring chaos in worldwide refereeing, for which the creation of a user’s manual for the implementation of the Video Delay System in international events is urgently needed; however, Mr. Barcos has expressed himself notoriously in the application of the system in exceptional cases in an infinity of opportunities throughout different clinics, now changes kokas changing the real meaning of the system’s use.

The truth of the matter is that the non consultant way of Mr. Barcos has tried to push forward the new changes of the rules, sent by his always faithful assistant Pepe Roses, through a letter to countries where they inform in a matter of take it or take it the application of the rules and other aspects of its interpretation as a TEST in Bangkok; where an Extraordinary Congress will be conducted to modify the statutes of the International Judo Federation and who believes that it will be the perfect scenario for the approval of these rules. However, not everything turned out the way he wanted it to be. After Mr. Pepe Roses sent these imposing letters to the countries, Mr. Haruki Uemura (who is Sport and Marketing Director of the International Judo Federation) responded Mr. Barcos with a letter in which he publicly states that he is does not agree with some of the changes in the rules that will be implemented. To which Mr. Barcos politely responds to Mr. Uemura that these changes were discussed and commented by the members of the IJF Refereeing Commission. Surprisingly, Mr. Takao Kawaguchi, refereeing director of the Asian Judo Union and member of the Refereeing Commission of the International Judo Federation, responded clearly in his letter  DENYING WHAT MR. BARCOS HAD SAID THAT THE CHANGES IN THE RULES WERE DISCUSSED BY ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE REFEREEING COMMISSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL JUDO FEDERATION, this evidences, again, the imposing and capricious character of these changes to the rules.

Finally, and finding himself trapped within himself, we have received a new communication from Mr. Pepe O. Roses where the application opf the rules are modified, alleging a misinterpretation (in which we don’t know by who because there was never a misinterpretation, there was a disagreement in aspects of the Osaekomi time and the penalties); this, because knowing the position of those who knows Judo, they did not dare to eliminate the Waza-ari.

We include, at your disposition, in chronological order the emails sent by Mr. Pepe Roses, Mr. Uemura, Mr. Barcos and Mr. Kawaguchi:

1.    Communication between Mr. Pepe Roses the day that the changes to the rules sent to the members of the executive Committee of the IJF.

2.   Letter of response by Mr. Haruki Uemura to Mr. Barcos, showing his disagreement over the implementation of some of the changes in the rules.

3.    Response of Mr. Barcos to Mr. Uemura, stating that all the members of the IJF refereeing commission approved the changes.

4.  Response of Mr. Uemura, in disagreement with the response of Mr. Barcos.

5.   Letter of Mr. Takao Kawaguchi, indicating that in the nucleus of the commission the changes to these rules never discussed in an official manner. and Barcos Response.

6.    Letter of Mrs. Clara Hargrave Oceania President, in disagreement over the implementation of some of the changes in the rules

7.  Response of Mr. Barcos to Mrs. Clara Hargrave

7.    Letter of Mr. Jaime Casanova PJU President, in disagreement over the implementation of some of the changes in the rules

8. Letter of Mr. Roses indicating that in view of a “MISINTERPRETATION” of the changes in the refereeing rules of the World Junior Championships, the 4 shidos penalties and the time of Osaekomi was maintained.

Now we think that Mr. Kawaguchi should be very careful, since it is most likely that Mr. Juan Carlos Barcos be searching for a person in Asia that can substitute Mr. Kawaguchi and that will defend everything that Mr. Barcos wants to do at his own free will in his refereeing kingdom.

Comisión de Medios UPJ

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