The International School Sport Federation -ISF- and the International Judo Federation -IJF- have signed a Memorandum of Understanding -MoU- at the IJF headquarters in Budapest, during the official visit of ISF President Željko Tanasković. The agreement, formalised alongside IJF President Marius Vizer, opens a strategic cooperation to develop judo within the school sport environment worldwide.
The partnership aims to strengthen the role of sport as a tool for education, youth development and social growth. ISF, recognised by the International Olympic Committee -IOC- as the international federation for school sport, acts as a bridge between the global sports movement and educational communities, while the IJF will provide technical expertise, competition standards and support in the training of officials for school events.
Judo as an educational and inclusive tool
Judo and Para Judo have been part of the Gymnasiade, ISF’s flagship event, for years, due to their educational value and universal reach. The discipline contributes to youth development through respect, discipline, self-control and mutual understanding, while Para Judo strengthens inclusion and accessibility in sport for students with different abilities.
The agreement provides for the IJF to contribute its technical knowledge to judo competitions organised at ISF events, with the aim of ensuring high standards, qualified officials and a safe and fair environment for young athletes. Both organisations will also work on educational initiatives, the promotion of judo values, the training of technical officials, new competition formats and greater participation of girls within school programmes.
Astana gathers international judo before the Olympic cycle
While ISF and IJF strengthen judo’s educational dimension, high performance continues its calendar with the Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam 2026 in Astana, just one week after the Dushanbe Grand Slam. The event brings the international community together at the Zhaksylik Ushkempirov Martial Art Palace and marks the start of the final World Judo Tour event before the Olympic qualification period opens in Mongolia in a few weeks.
IJF Education Director Florin Daniel Lascau highlighted during the official draw the tournament’s role as a meeting point for the discipline. “This event brings our global judo family together from every corner of the world, united by shared values, to witness the very best judoka compete in front of a passionate and loyal public,” he said, before thanking the Kazakhstan Judo Federation and its president, Kuanyshbek Yessekeyev, for their commitment to organising high-level events.
Kazakhstan consolidates its place on the world judo map
Speaking on behalf of the host federation, Askhat Zhitkeyev, Vice President of the Kazakhstan Judo Federation, underlined the importance of the tournament for the country. “For Kazakhstan, it is a great honour to host this tournament for the fourth time,” he said. The official added that the event has become “much more than just a competition”, describing it as “a symbol of our love for judo, our respect for this sport and our commitment to world-class organisation”.
Zhitkeyev also recalled that Astana will host the World Judo Championships next year for the second time, an event for which the country is already working with the aim of creating “another unforgettable chapter” for the international judo community. Between the ISF-IJF agreement and the Kazakh Grand Slam, judo is moving in two complementary directions: training new generations through schools and sustaining an increasingly demanding international circuit on the eve of the Olympic pathway.
Last related articles
