Olympic ranking list after EO Madrid (1)

Olympic ranking list after the first day of the European Open in Madrid.

-60 kg
1. Mooren NED 100
2. Gerchev BUL 60
3. Burjan HUN 40
3. Limare FRA 40
5. Garrigos ESP 20
5. Andreoli ITA 20
7. Nunes Rodrigues ESP 16
7. Bagirov BLR 16
. Karakizidi RUS 12
. Shemesh ISR 12
. Di Loreto ITA 12
. Bar ISR 12
. Leboedec FRA 12
. Moudatir MAR 12
. Dimukhametov RUS 12
. Graf GER 12

-66 kg
1. Shershan BLR 100
2. Zagrodnik POL 60
3. Bourguignon FRA 40
3. Avagyan RUS 40
5. Le Blouch FRA 20
5. Bartusik POL 20
7. Fonghetti FRA 16
7. Cressi ITA 16
. Kops NED 12
. Labrado Fernandez ESP 12
. Piras ITA 12
. Ramirez Ramos ESP 12
. Jereb SLO 12
. Verde ITA 12
. Margvelashvili GEO 12
. Uriarte Marcos 12
. Jimenez Rodrigues ESP 8

-73 kg
1. Kurzhev RUS 100
2. Fernandes POR 60
3. Saraiva POR 40
3. Alves POR 40
5. Shoka BLR 20
5. Astafev RUS 20
7. Khomentovskiy RUS 16
7. Katsumi GER 16
. Kanivets UKR 12
. Jecminek CZE 12
. Meloni ITA 12
. Van T Westende NED 12
. Regis ITA 12
. Ramirez Ramos ESP 12
. Azoidis GRE 12
. Bottieau BEL 12
. Gigani GEO 8

-48 kg
1. Akkus TUR 100
2. Figueroa ESP 60
3. Climence 40
3. Cherniak UKR 40
5. Clement FRA 20
5. Lokmanhekim TUR 20
7. Menz GER 16
7. Persidskaya RUS 16
. Tjokroatmo NED 12
. Konieczny POL 12
. Freitas POR 12
. Castell Fajardo ESP 12

-52 kg
1. Giuffrida ITA 100
2. Duport FRA 60
3. Gomez Ropinin ESP 40
3. Tarangul GER 40
5. Pienkowska POL 20
5. Chitu ROU 20
7. Rosso FRA 16
7. Holtzinger FRA 16
. Edwards GBR 12
. Stankevich ARM 12
. Ertl GER 12
. Sanchez Piedad ESP 12

-57 kg
1. Verhagen NED 100
2. Receveaux FRA 60
3. Caprioriu ROU 40
3. Davis GBR 40
5. Equisoain Zaragueta ESP 20
5. Ramsay GBR 20
7. Lo Giudice ITA 16
7. Hevondian UKR 16
. Regis ITA 12
. Huber FRA 12
. Greenberg ISR 12
. Amaron SUI 12
. Zhou CHN 12
. Madelrieux FRA 12

-63 kg
1. Yang CHN 100
2. Shor ISR 60
3. Mohamed-Seghir POL 40
3. Di Cintio FRA 40
5. Peschaud FRA 20
5. Puche Palao ESP 20
7. Wichers NED 16
7. Lopez Manchon ESP 16
. Velema NED 12
. Teltsidou GRE 12
. Kazanoi BLR 12
. Szabo HUN 12
. Barkeling SWE 12

Olympics 2016: easy and unfair qualification

This weekend the first qualification points for the Olympic Games 2016 will be claimed. In Madrid judoka will try to make a perfect start in their goal to go to Rio de Janeiro. After the next two years, the official qualification period, 386 judoka can book a ticket to Brazil.

Compared to the London Games a little change was made in the system of qualification. Back then the five best results made up the score for that year (50% year 1, 100% year 2). This has changed to: the five best results + one result from the continental championships or Masters. This new rule isn't that big of a change.

Unfair competition: Masters
To me it's a big mistake to include the Masters, again, in the Olympic qualification. Only the best judoka will be selected for that tournament. What means they have an extra opportunity to gather important points. And a lot of points can be obtained at the Masters, the winner takes home 700 points. What is even worse is the fact that the home country may select one judoka in each category to participate, even if they are not in the top of the ranking list. Hosting the Masters is an extra tool to get your judoka to the Olympics.

Easier to qualify
Except for Great Britain, as hosts of the 2012 Olympics, it will be easier for all nations to qualify for 2016. This has everything to do with the fact that the Games are in Brazil. They will automatically qualify 14 judoka, who most likely will be part of the top 14 (women) or top 22 (men). So, with them out of the way, new possibilities open for others. Brazil qualified 14 judoka for the London Games.

Olympic ranking list
The IJF will not help you with this. But we will! As promised we will update this blog with an Olympic ranking list, after each event. When? As soon als possible. Preferably directly after each event finished. However, it may happen that sometimes it takes a bit longer.

Please feel free to ask me any questions about this blog and/or the Olympic qualification. Good luck in Madrid!

What does your country/nationality mean to you?

Teddy Riner (photo: IJF)

The first thing that many athletes do after winning an important medal. Planned in advance, they will get it from their coach or a family member in the audience. After that, they will wave it and make sure it is visible on every photo that is taken. The national flag. Symbol of love for their country of origin.

But, even in judo, nationality becomes less important than ever. After the last Olympics almost the entire team from Moldova 'transferred' to the United Arab Emirates. Probably, money was the key ingredient to make the move. Their nationality, obviously, didn't mean that much to them.

Of course, there are more examples of famous judoka that changed nationality for their own good. Dutchman Elco van der Geest became a Belgian citizen to avoid competition with upcoming talent Henk Grol. Brazilian-born lightweight and former national champion, Taciana Lima, nowadays wins her medals for Guinea-Bissau. Dmitrij Gerasimenko switched from Russia to Serbia. Just to name a few.

And, with the 2016 Olympics coming up, there are rumours about famous judoka changing nationality to increase the chance to compete in Rio de Janeiro. Will they wave the flag of their old or new country?