Lima Set for IJF’s Next Women’s Judo Leadership Push

The International Judo Federation is taking its Sakura Judo programme to Lima, Peru, from 5 to 7 August 2026. Organised with the Peruvian Judo Federation, the three-day initiative is built to support women across judo, not only as athletes but also as coaches, referees, administrators and future leaders.

At the heart of the project is a simple but important idea: judo develops resilience, confidence, courage and respect, yet those strengths have not always led to lasting opportunities for women inside the sport. For many, the path becomes less clear after competition, and leadership roles can still feel distant.

Larisa Kiss, IJF Project Lead and Director of Olympic Games and Olympic Movement for Judo, said that realization helped shape the programme. Her focus is not just on identifying the gap, but on creating practical ways for women to continue their journey on and off the tatami.

Sakura Judo is about staying in the sport and growing within it.

Developed with the support of IJF President Marius Vizer, Sakura Judo mixes leadership development with technical education. The format is designed to give participants tools they can use immediately in their own federations and communities, while also strengthening practical judo knowledge.

That balance is central to the programme. Leadership and empowerment masterclasses sit alongside IJF Academy sessions covering technical skills, kata and refereeing. Discussions inspired by the Women in Sport High-Performance (WISH) programme are also included, helping participants work on communication, confidence and leadership strategies for the future.

Marius Vizer described Sakura Judo as an IJF gender equality initiative intended to inspire and support women so they can remain part of judo and continue their career path in the sport. His message is clear: every woman involved should feel valued and recognized as an essential part of the judo family.

In Peru, the programme has been adapted to national needs. The Peruvian Judo Federation has placed special attention on increasing women’s participation and retention in judo, developing female coaches and sport administrators, promoting safe sport and athlete protection, and offering practical self-defence education.

Thirty participants will attend the seminar at the VIDENA Sports Complex in Lima. The group will include athletes, coaches, referees, organisers, administrators and women already working in leadership positions, creating a mix of experience that could give the programme real depth over the three days.

The aim is bigger than one seminar in one city.

What makes Sakura Judo stand out is its long-term ambition. The IJF does not present it as a one-off event, but as the start of a wider development pathway. Participants are encouraged to continue studying through the IJF Academy, become mentors and role models, and help build stronger and more inclusive judo communities in their own countries.

That forward-looking approach gives the Lima edition real weight. It is not only about what happens in August 2026, but about what those women may carry back into clubs, federations and local judo culture long after the seminar ends.

In that sense, Sakura Judo is trying to do something that matters deeply for the sport: make sure women do not just pass through judo, but have every chance to shape its future.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation