About JuDown

JuDown is the international judo federation for athletes with Down syndrome. JuDown is one of several autonomous sports federations operating under the umbrella organisation SU-DS (Sports Union for athletes with Down Syndrome), together with athletics (IAADS), swimming (DSISO), futsal (FIFDS) and gymnastics (DSIGO).

SU-DS was founded on 16 May 2012 in Terceira in the Azores, after several international sports federations for Down syndrome athletes agreed to coordinate their activities under a common union. Each sport, including judo, retained its own independent structure as an international sports federation — in line with how the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) recommends that sport for persons with disabilities should be organised. In 2016, all sports came together for the first time at the inaugural World Trisome Games.

JuDown's current competition regulations were adopted following a meeting of the JuDown Executive Committee on 30 November 2019, and apply to the 2021–2024 Olympic cycle. The rules are based on the regulations of the International Judo Federation (IJF) and the European Judo Union (EJU), but are adapted for safety, integrity and ethics in competition judo for athletes with Down syndrome.

To compete in JuDown, the athlete must have either Trisomy 21 Down syndrome or Mosaic Down syndrome. The safest way to confirm this is through a blood test with cytogenetic analysis. The SU-DS medical advisory group decides whether other submitted documentation is sufficient as evidence, and reserves the right to request cytogenetic analysis if the material is not sufficient.

The minimum competition age is 13 years in the competition year. The lowest grade is 4th kyu (orange belt). Match time is 3 minutes plus 2 minutes of Golden Score in the event of a draw. Men's weight categories: -60, -66, -73, -81, -90, -100, +100 kg. Women's weight categories: -48, -52, -57, -63, -70, -78, +78 kg. "Mosaic" athletes compete in a separate class. Certain techniques are prohibited for safety reasons, including arm locks (kansetsu-waza), strangles (shime-waza) and most sutemi-waza.

JuDown has organised international championships since the late 2010s, including: 1st JuDown World Championship in Guimarães, Portugal (2019), European Championship in Ferrara, Italy (2021), JuDown World Championship in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal (2022, combined with basketball), European Championship in Padova, Italy (2023), World Championship at the Trisomy Games in Turkey (2024), and the European Championships in Lindesberg, Sweden (10–13 July 2025).

JuDown is led in cooperation with the SU-DS executive committee, with Marco Borzacchini as President and José Costa Pereira as Vice President Sport.