The International Ju-Jitsu Federation has stepped up its efforts to expand Para Ju-Jitsu through a new partnership with Brazil’s Paralympic Clubs Committee, discussed during the 2026 FISU World University Championship Combat Sports in Brasília.
On the sidelines of the competition, representatives of JJIF, including board member Elcirley Luz Silva and official Christian Horvath-Portele, met with CBCP officials. Among those present was CBCP president João Batista Carvalho e Silva. The meeting focused on ongoing projects and the potential for future cooperation in inclusion and para-sport development.
JJIF has been promoting Para Ju-Jitsu since 2018 as part of a broader effort to expand access to the sport. The discipline was introduced at the SportAccord Combat Games in Riyadh in 2023, while an inclusive self-defence format is due to feature at The World Games in Chengdu in 2025.
The federation is pursuing an approach that prioritises integration. Rather than organising separate competitions, it is working towards formats where athletes of different abilities take part within the same event structure. The aim is to reduce barriers and position inclusion as a standard part of competition.
Officials at the meeting in Brasília also discussed challenges facing the development of para sport, particularly at grassroots level. Representatives from CBCP pointed to issues including limited access to facilities, funding constraints and the need for clearer development pathways for athletes.
Brazil’s experience in combat sports, combined with its focus on social inclusion, was highlighted as a potential model. Cooperation between the two organisations could provide practical examples for strengthening development structures in other regions.
JJIF’s expansion into para sport is also seen as part of a wider effort to strengthen its position within the international sports system, where inclusion and accessibility are becoming increasingly important. Integrating para athletes into major events presents organisational challenges, but it also offers an opportunity to move beyond traditional separation.
Both organisations said they hope to continue working together to develop programmes that use sport as a tool for social change. For JJIF, the long-term success of Para Ju-Jitsu is likely to be judged not only by results in competition, but by the extent to which it broadens participation.
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