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). It is also recognized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire (FISU). 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.
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).What is Ju-jitsu, JJIF website]
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.
1977: European Ju-Jitsu Federation (EJJF) (Germany, Italy, Sweden) 1987: International Ju-Jitsu Federation (IJJF) / European Ju-Jitsu Union (EJJU) 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.Traditional Ju-Jitsu shines bright as gold at the Sixth World Games, Grappling Magazine, March 2002
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, World Combat Games and Asian Games.
Regions All 112 nations in the year 2022: +RegionNameAbbreviation MembersLinksEuropeJu-Jitsu European Union [de]JJEU35AsiaJu-Jitsu Asian UnionJJAU37OceaniaJu-Jitsu Oceanian UnionJJOU4AfricaJu-Jitsu African UnionJJAFU16AmericaUnited Society Ju-Jitsu OrganizationUPJJ20
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 World Beach Ju-Jitsu tournament (3rd in 2017)Above
JJIF Juniors Ju-Jitsu World Championships https://jjif.sport/jjif-history/
2007 Hanau Germany U18 / U21 2008 Hanau Germany U18 / U21 2009 Athens Greece U18 / U21 2011 Ghent Belgium U18 / U21 2013 Bucharest Romania U18 / U21 2015 Athens Greece U18 / U21 2016 Madrid Spain U18 / U21 2017 Athens Greece U18 / U21 2018 Abu Dhabi UAE U18 / U21 2019 Crete Greece U 16 2019 Abu Dhabi UAE Adults & Masters U16 / U18 / U21/ 2021 Abu Dhabi UAE Adults & U16 / U18 / U21 2022 Abu Dhabi UAE Adults & Masters U16 / U18 / U21/ 2023 Astana Kasakhstan U16 / U18 / U21 2024 Crete Greece U16 / U18 / U21
2011: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=6#a_eventhead 2018: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=34#a_eventhead 2019: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=150#a_eventhead 2019: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=161#a_eventhead 2021: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=257#a_eventhead 2022: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=325#a_eventhead 2023: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=440#a_eventhead 2024: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=636#a_eventhead
Masters 2014: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=12#a_eventhead 2019: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=162#a_eventhead 2022: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=387#a_eventhead 2023: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=436#a_eventhead 2024: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=634#a_eventhead Para
Beach
University
E-Tournament
U14 World Cup
European Championship European Non-Governmental Sports Organisation (ENGSO)
EditionStartEndCountryCitySources40 (Senior)Israel
European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship
https://jjeu.eu/
https://web.archive.org/web/20250325052757/https://jjeu.eu/organization/
2024 (42nd Senior): https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=450 2025: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=722#a_eventhead
Asian Championship EditionYearCountryCitySources1201622017320184201952021620227202382024
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:
1990 Introduction of Fighting System 2010 Introduction of Discipline “Jiu-Jitsu (Ne-Waza)” 2014 Introduction of Discipline “Show Ju-Jitsu” 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 NameRoleCountryPanagiotis TheodoropoulosPresident Abdulmunem Alsayed M. Al Hashmi President of Asian Union Nuvin ProagPresident of African UnionRobert PercPresident of European UnionMiguel Angel PercocoPresident of Panamerican Union Séverine NebieAthletes representativeFaisal AlkitbeAthletes representativeMargarita P. Ochoaappointed Board member Medha Goodaryappointed Board member Georgiy KukoverovHonorary Vice PresidentTomo BorissovHonorary Vice PresidentIgor LanzoniHonorary Vice PresidentJoachim ThumfartDirector GeneralLuc MortelmansDirector Finance Toni DahlHead of Entourage Commission
Committee Fighting System NameRoleCountryDana Mihaela Mortelmans Sport Director Fighting System Ralf Pfeifer Head Referee Fighting System Seyed Amir KhoshbinMembers Patrik Tremel Members Andreas Kuhl Members Jonathan Charlot Members Jose Dominguez Members Michael Piaser Members Licaï Pourtois Members
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''.The official rules can be found at the
Duo (Kata) 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). Duo is the JJIF's version of Kata.
The Duo system has three competition categories: male, female or mixed, and the athletes are judged for their speed, accuracy, control and realism. It often requires great technical preparation and synchronicity, compared to other disciplines.
Fighting (Striking and Grappling) 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 (Grappling) 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