The Sky's the Limit The Sky's the Limit

I have added this page for the athletes. I have been recieving many questions and queries from athletes, who are eager to pursue thier judo careers to a much higher level.

Hopefully below I can give them advice and put them in the right direction of where they can get help locally.

The answers to these questions are my personal view, due to me not being on any of the committee's. Through my 30yrs of experience and progress over these years I have answered these questions honestly.

Question 1

When will we have a European and World SN Championships.

Answer

The European SN EVENT should take place within the next 3 yrs, but it will only be for the level 1/2 players with a learning disability. There is a EJU SN Committee looking into this possibility.

Question 10

Why is there so few events for SN in GB???

Answer

I believe it is too costly to run and there is a lack of event organisors for SN JUDO.

Question 11

Will SN Judo be in the Commonwealth Games in Scotland in 2014.

Answer

This I dont know, but it would be the ideal opportunity to show the commonwealth judo countries the work being done for all athletes.

Question2

Will judo for SN be expanded in the UK.

Answer

I believe it wiil, we now have a BJA Inclusion commission, but it is now upto the clubs to help us get more players into the sport of judo.

This is my task in Wales now. I aim to expand this project and membership throughout the WJA and increase membership to a level where we will be able to hold a Wales SN Closed event and form WJA SN Teams.

Question 12

I have Dyspraxia can I compete SN ?

Answer.

There are athletes competing at present, but you will have to compete in a pool of similar level and skill.

Question 3

What will SN Judo be like in 5 to 10 years

Answer

The difficulty with SN Judo at present is funding?

Yes in these next years there will be championships at higher levels and national teams, but its going to become expensive for athletes and parents/carers to fund thier offsprings.

In GB to get the tests comleted for registration to INAS-FID will cost between 500 AND 1000 POUNDS, unless you already have these certificates.

We are going to progress, but I am worried, that people become involved for the wrong reasons, this is not a personal ego trip, this is being done to give athletes opportunities in the sport of judo.

I have seen many projects start with funding, then dissapear when the funding ends.

Question 13

Where will the BJA SN Closed take place in 2010.

Answer

Sunderland England on the 14th August.

Question 4

For European and World Championships , will judoka be subjected to tests, which prove the authenticity of the level of disability.

Answer;

YES, I know this might seem strange and difficult for our athletes, but the INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, have strict guidelines on this. At present the judo organisations are only looking at those athletes that are at level 1/2 and have a learning disability.(Elite Judoka).

For world and olympic championships, the organisation is INAS-FID for athletes with a learning disability. And IBSA for athletes with a visual impairment.( visual impaired athletes are already competing at major events).

There is a form available for registration to INAS-FID for athletes, but it must be completed by a chartered Psychiatist. With 2 major screening tests having to be made.

How athletes who are not covered under these 2 disabilities, will need to be classified (i dont know).

But I believe one day the sport of judo will have the highest levels for all including newaza championships for athletes with a physical disability who cannot stand.

Question 5

What is the difference with a BJA SN Closed and Open championships.

Answer;

The British closed is only for British SN jUDOKA.

The British Open will be an international competition.

It is hoped the BJA Inclusion Commission, will hold a BJA OPEN SN Championships in the near future.

Question 6

Will SN Players ever compete in the Paralympics.

Answer.

Yes. I know people are looking at this for 2016, but again it will only be for our elite players in level 1.

It is too late for this to happen in 2012 in London, but I do believe the SN Project should give a demonstration at the London games.

But I do believe the BJA should push for SN Judo in the commonwealth Games.

Question 7

On the INAS -FID Registration form it is stated that a judoka with a learning disability, must have an IQ of 75% or below.

ANSWER

Yes this is the case and it can be found by athletes being tested .

Question 8

I am a level 1 judoka with autism and an IQ of between 80 and 100- would I still be eligible to compete in the European and world SN Championships.

Answer;

This again is a difficult question to answer, if it is run under the INAS-FID registration criteria, I would say no.(IQ 75 or below )

But this is where in this project we have gone slightly wrong, no one is to blame, but we have accepted athletes with all abilities and disabilities into this project, without re-defining the judo levels.

What i mean by this is if you had 2 athletes with autism 1 with an IQ of 60 and 1 with an IQ of 80. Would this be fair???if they were both level 1s- would one react slower than the other??

The same can be applied to all disabilities, the forms of disability can be from mild to severe so it is very difficult to guage.

For this project to go forward, i believe we have to go slowly, each disability category has its own world governing organisation and its own sports criteria.You can take this up with your GB Coach or the inclusion commission.

Question 9.

The INAS-FID REGISTRATION FORM.

Answer.

To see if you qualify, please take a look at the form.

Copy and paste the address below into your web - browser

http://www.inas-fid.org/documents/regformv217.6.08.pdf

In this project we deal with so many disabilities and abilities and it is difficult to to pursue all things we aim for at the same timescale. But I do believe in years to come we will meet the criteria these athletes want and deseve.

We need publicity everywhere, I am of the opinion there are many athletes with SN throught the world, that have not even heard of the sport of judo and our progress.

That is why I have built a site like this.

Also to ensure fair and meaningful events, we have to ensure that all our athletes are in the correct categories.In all sports mainstream and SN athletes are tested in some way. Even to compete in certain championships and events you have to meet a certain criteria.

I know this can be difficult to understand, we are all people regardless of disability, but again this criteria will ensure that there is no cheating.

The world organisations like IBSA and INAS-FID have been using this criteria for years and it works, we in judo are new to this and we will have to comply with this criteria.

Judo for ALL