Ju-Jitsu International Federation

Ju-Jitsu International Federation
SportModern Ju-Jitsu
CategorySports federation
JurisdictionWorldwide
Membership130
AbbreviationJJIF
Founded1977 (1977) (EJJF)
1998 (1998) (JJIF)
AffiliationAlliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport (AIMS)
International World Games Association (IWGA)
Guardian Girls International (GGI)
HeadquartersAbu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
PresidentPanagiotis Theodoropoulos (Greece)
Official website
ju-jitsu.sport

The Ju-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF) is the international sports federation and governing body for the sport of Ju-Jitsu, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Established in 1998, it coordinates and promotes the modern competitive form of ju-jitsu worldwide, commonly known as sport Ju-Jitsu. JJIF has member national federations in more than 130 countries worldwide.

JJIF is a member of the Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport (AIMS) and the International World Games Association (IWGA), both of which are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).[1][2] It is also recognized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire (FISU).[3] JJIF is an official global partner of Guardian Girls International (GGI) for the Guardian Girls Ju-Jitsu (GGJJ) project to advance gender equality and safeguard women and girls through the sport of Ju-Jitsu.[4]

History

The Federation commenced as a coalition of three countries' associations. In 1977, delegates form Germany, Italy and Sweden founded the European Ju-Jitsu Federation (EJJF). As the number of member Nations increased, in and out of Europe, in 1987 the Federation changed its name to International Ju-Jitsu Federation (IJJF) and the original European nucleus of the Federation became the first Continental Union (EJJU) of the IJJF. Following a series of changes of its Statutes and a change to its membership structure, in 1998, the IJJF decided to change its name to the Ju-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF).[5][6][7]

In the early 1990s the IJJF became a provisional member of the General Association of International Sport Federations (GAISF), member of International World Games Association (IWGA – part of the Olympic Movement together with the IOC) and affiliated to the Sport for All Federation (FISpT). During the 1998 GAISF Congress the JJIF obtained full membership status.

Ju-Jitsu under JJIF rules has been an event at the World Games since the 1997 World Games in Lahti, Finland.

  1. 1977: European Ju-Jitsu Federation (EJJF) (Germany, Italy, Sweden)
  2. 1987: International Ju-Jitsu Federation (IJJF) / European Ju-Jitsu Union (EJJU)
  3. 1998: Ju-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF)

The JJIF is a member of GAISF and IWGA, and both organizations are in close cooperation with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The organisation is striving to establish Sports Ju-Jitsu as an Olympic event in the future.[8]

JJIF is a member of the Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport (AIMS) and the International World Games Association (IWGA). The JJIF is currently the only Jujutsu/Ju-Jitsu organization recognized by the GAISF and IWGA; Ju-Jitsu under JJIF rules is a part of the World Games,[9] World Combat Games and Asian Games.[10]

Regions

All 112 nations in the year 2022:

Region Name Abbreviation Members Links
Europe Ju-Jitsu European Union [de] JJEU 35 [11][12][13]
Asia Ju-Jitsu Asian Union JJAU 37 [14][15]
Oceania Ju-Jitsu Oceanian Union JJOU 4 [16]
Africa Ju-Jitsu African Union JJAFU 16 [17][18]
America United Society Ju-Jitsu Organization UPJJ 20 [19][20]

Events

World

  • Ju-Jitsu World Championships (Since 1994)
  • Para Ju-Jitsu World Championships
  • Juniors Ju-Jitsu World Championships (Since 2007)
  • Masters Ju-Jitsu World Championships
  • Specialized World Championship for Professionals [21]
  • World Beach Ju-Jitsu tournament (3rd in 2017) [22]

JJIF Juniors Ju-Jitsu World Championships

https://jjif.sport/jjif-history/

  1. 2007 Hanau Germany U18 / U21
  2. 2008 Hanau Germany U18 / U21
  3. 2009 Athens Greece U18 / U21
  4. 2011 Ghent Belgium U18 / U21
  5. 2013 Bucharest Romania U18 / U21
  6. 2015 Athens Greece U18 / U21
  7. 2016 Madrid Spain U18 / U21
  8. 2017 Athens Greece U18 / U21
  9. 2018 Abu Dhabi UAE U18 / U21
  10. 2019 Crete Greece U 16
  11. 2019 Abu Dhabi UAE Adults & Masters U16 / U18 / U21/
  12. 2021 Abu Dhabi UAE Adults & U16 / U18 / U21
  13. 2022 Abu Dhabi UAE Adults & Masters U16 / U18 / U21/
  14. 2023 Astana Kasakhstan U16 / U18 / U21
  15. 2024 Crete Greece U16 / U18 / U21

Masters

Para

Beach

University

E-Tournament

U14 World Cup

European Championship

European Non-Governmental Sports Organisation (ENGSO) [23]

Edition Start End Country City Sources
40 (Senior) May 26, 2022 May 28, 2022 Israel [24]

European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship

https://jjeu.eu/

https://web.archive.org/web/20250325052757/https://jjeu.eu/organization/

Asian Championship

Edition Year Country City Sources
1 2016  Turkmenistan [25]
2 2017 [26]
3 2018 [27]
4 2019 [28]
5 2021 [28]
6 2022 [29]
7 2023 [30]
8 2024 [31][32]

9th 2025 Jordan: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=794

https://asjjf.org/main/eventInfo/1619

1st Asian Youth: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=576 - 2024

2nd Asian Youth: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=741&ver_info_action=catlist - 2025

1st U14 Cup 2025 Thailand: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=740&ver_info_action=catlist

African Championship

Pan American Championship

South American

Sub Regional Asian

Balkan Championship

17th 2022: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=357#a_eventhead

Formats

Source:[33]

  1. 1990 Introduction of Fighting System
  2. 2010 Introduction of Discipline “Jiu-Jitsu (Ne-Waza)”
  3. 2014 Introduction of Discipline “Show Ju-Jitsu”
  4. 2017 Introduction of Discipline “Contact Ju-Jitsu”

Traditional Jujutsu and Sport Ju-Jitsu

Different schools (ryū) have been teaching traditional jujutsu in Japan since the 15th century. The JJIF is not a governing body for any of these schools of traditional Japanese jujutsu – the JJIF does not exercise authority over traditional Japanese jujutsu Koryu styles, which are often instead headed by leaders who claim leadership from unbroken lineages of transmissions from different Japanese ryū, with some of them hundreds of years old.

Rather, the JJIF was founded as an international federation solely for governing Sport Ju-Jitsu, a competitive sport derived from traditional jujutsu.

Executive committee

Name Role Country
Panagiotis Theodoropoulos[34] President Greece
Abdulmunem Alsayed M. Al Hashmi President of Asian Union  United Arab Emirates
Nuvin Proag President of African Union  Mauritius
Robert Perc President of European Union  Slovenia
Miguel Angel Percoco President of Panamerican Union  Argentina
Séverine Nebie Athletes representative  France
Faisal Alkitbe Athletes representative  United Arab Emirates
Margarita P. Ochoa appointed Board member  Philippines
Medha Goodary appointed Board member  Mauritius
Georgiy Kukoverov Honorary Vice President  Russia
Tomo Borissov Honorary Vice President  Bulgaria
Igor Lanzoni Honorary Vice President  Italy
Joachim Thumfart Director General  Germany
Luc Mortelmans Director Finance  Belgium
Toni Dahl Head of Entourage Commission  Denmark

Committee Fighting System

Name Role Country
Dana Mihaela Mortelmans[35] Sport Director Fighting System  Romania
Ralf Pfeifer Head Referee Fighting System  Germany
Seyed Amir Khoshbin Members  Iran
Patrik Tremel Members  Austria
Andreas Kuhl Members  Germany
Jonathan Charlot Members  Mauritius
Jose Dominguez Members  United States
Michael Piaser Members  United States
Licaï Pourtois Members  Belgium

Rules of Sport Ju-Jitsu

JJIF currently regulates three different types of competitions at the international level: the Duo system', Fighting system and Ne Waza.[36]

Duo

The former is a discipline in which a pair of Jutsukas (Ju-Jitsu athlete) from the same team show possible self-defence techniques against a series of 12 attacks, randomly called by the mat referee from the 20 codified attacks to cover the following typologies: grip attack (or strangulation), embrace attack (or necklock), hit attack (punch or kick) and armed attack (stick or knife).

The Duo system has three competition categories: male, female or mixed, and the athletes are judged for their speed, accuracy, control and realism. It is arguably the most spectacular form of Ju-jitsu competition and it requires great technical preparation, synchronicity and elevated athletic qualities.

Fighting

With a different approach, the Fighting System is articulated in a one-on-one competition between athletes. The system is divided in several categories according to weight and sex

(Male categories: −55 kg, −62 kg, −69 kg, −77 kg, −85 kg, −94 kg, +94 kg; Female categories −48 kg, −55 kg, −62 kg, −70 kg, +70 kg).

The actual competition is divided in three phases (Parts): Part I sees the jutsukas involved in distance combat (controlled attacks with arms and legs and atemis of various nature – punches, strikes and kicks). Once a grab has been made the Fight enters Part II and hits are no longer allowed.

The jutsukas try to bring one another down with various throwing techniques (and points are given according to how "clean" and effective the action was). Also – despite being uncommon – submission techniques as controlled strangulations and locks are allowed in part II.

Once down on the tatamis (mats) the match enters its Part III. Here points are given for immobilisation techniques, controlled strangulations or levers on body joints that bring the opponent to yield.

The winner is the Jutsuka who has accumulated most points during the fight. Automatic victory is assigned to the Jutsuka who gets an "Ippon" (clean action, full points) in all three parts. This type of competition requires timing, agility, strength and endurance.

Newaza(bjj)

In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the associated competition discipline is called Ne-Waza, which is a fairly new discipline in the official JIF competition program. It was included in 2010, and established in the World Games 2013 in two initial categories (men -85kg and women - 70kg). From 2014 the competition is held in 10 weight divisions:

  • Male: -56kg, -62 kg, -69kg, -77kg, -85kg, -94kg, +94kg

Female: -49kg, -55kg, -62kg, -70kg, +70kg

2019 the number of female categories was increased:

  • Female: -45kg; -48kg; -52kg; -57kg; -63kg; -70kg; +70kg

Guardian Girls Ju-Jitsu

Guardian Girls Ju-Jitsu (GGJJ) is a global project launched by Guardian Girls International (GGI) in partnership with the JJIF to advance gender equality and safeguard women and girls through Ju-Jitsu. On November 4, 2025, Shin Koyamada, the Chairman of the GGI and Panagiotis Theodoropoulos, the President of the JJIF signed a global Memorandum of Understanding during the Ju-Jitsu World Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, formally establishing the partnership and introducing the project at the international level.[37][38]

See also

References

  1. ^ "AIMS Full Member".
  2. ^ "The World Games".
  3. ^ "Olympic Council of Asia - JJIF".
  4. ^ "JJIF joins the Guardian Girls initiative to prevent gender-based violence". Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  5. ^ What is Ju-jitsu, JJIF website] Archived 29 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "JJIF History – Ju-Jitsu International Federation". Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  7. ^ "JJIF: JJIF History". www.jjif.org. Archived from the original on 30 November 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  8. ^ Traditional Ju-Jitsu shines bright as gold at the Sixth World Games, Grappling Magazine, March 2002
  9. ^ "Korea Jujitsu Belt Wrestling Federation website". Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2009.
  10. ^ "Ju-Jitsu - Sports - World Combat Games 2010 - Sport Accord".
  11. ^ "JU-JITSU EUROPEAN UNION".
  12. ^ "JJIF: Start". 16 December 2019. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  13. ^ "EUROPE". Ju-Jitsu International Federation. 31 May 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  14. ^ "ASIA". Ju-Jitsu International Federation. 31 May 2020.
  15. ^ "JJAU: Start". 17 October 2019. Archived from the original on 17 October 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  16. ^ "OCEANIA". Ju-Jitsu International Federation. 31 May 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  17. ^ "AFRICA". Ju-Jitsu International Federation. 31 May 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  18. ^ "Ju-Jitsu African Union". 22 December 2019. Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  19. ^ "Unión Panamericana de Jiu Jitsu". 23 May 2017. Archived from the original on 23 May 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  20. ^ "PAN-AMERICA". Ju-Jitsu International Federation. 31 May 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  21. ^ "JJIF: Start". jjif.org. Archived from the original on 21 March 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  22. ^ Above
  23. ^ "JJIF: Archive". jjif.org. Archived from the original on 29 November 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  24. ^ "SET Online Ju-Jitsu: European Championship Adults Nahariya Israel 2022".
  25. ^ "Turkmenistan Ruled the Inaugural Ju-Jitsu Asian Championship 2016 – JJAU". Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  26. ^ "SET Online Ju-Jitsu: Asian Championship 2017". www.sportdata.org. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  27. ^ "SET Online Ju-Jitsu: 3rd JJAU Asian Championship". www.sportdata.org. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  28. ^ a b "SET Online Ju-Jitsu: 5th JU-JITSU ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIP". www.sportdata.org. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  29. ^ "SET Online Ju-Jitsu: 6. JU-JITSU ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIP". www.sportdata.org. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  30. ^ "Verify You are Human". www.sportdata.org. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  31. ^ https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=575&ver_info_action=info
  32. ^ "8th Ju Jitsu Asian Championship – JJAU". Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  33. ^ https://jjif.sport/jjif-history/
  34. ^ "JJIF BOARD". Ju-Jitsu International Federation. 20 May 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  35. ^ "Technical Commission". Ju-Jitsu International Federation. 20 May 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  36. ^ The official rules can be found at the JJIF-Referees website.
  37. ^ "JJIF joins the Guardian Girls initiative to prevent gender-based violence".
  38. ^ "Guardian Girls International (GGI) and Ju-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF) Launch Global Project to Safeguard Women and Girls Through Ju-Jitsu".
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