Not yet!
BJJ is not an Olympic sport yet. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a relatively young martial art but it is growing fast. Every day more people are interested in learning this highly addictive sport. BJJ is very prominent in the world, not only as a self-defense tool, but because it boosts one’s self-confidence and overall physical health. It’s also a lot of fun.
BJJ allows people of all ages to practice. The physical benefits of taking part in BJJ alone are attractive to many looking to be in shape and healthy, both in body and mind. Practitioners need to utilize a lot of strategy and technique to beat their opponents. Imagine how much more the demand for the game and its popularity will be when it becomes an Olympic sport! It would obviously be a great turning point for the martial art.
Nevertheless, the path towards the art becoming an Olympic sport is still very far off. This is despite the United Arab Emirates (UAE), through the Ju Jitsu International Federation (JJIF), submitting that BJJ be taken up as an Olympic sport in the 2024 games. Should this see the light of day, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will be the fifth martial art in the Olympics. The other four fighting sports currently in the Olympics catalog are karate, judo, taekwondo and wrestling.
Brief Background of the Sport of BJJ
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a descendent of Japanese jujutsu (now commonly referred to as jiu jitsu). The art was basically invented by the Gracie family in Brazil – most notably Helio Gracie. Helio’s father, Gastao Gracie, helped a Kodokan judo master named Mitsuyo Maeda with business in Brazil. As a result of this acquaintance, Maeda taught the art of judo to Gastao’s oldest son, Carlos.
Carlos Gracie, in turn, passed on the art to his siblings, including the youngest and frailest of them, Helio Gastato. Judo favored the stronger and larger fighter hence disadvantaging the frail Helio. Helio opted to refine the art’s tactics by inventing moves that would give a weaker fighter leverage against their opponent. BJJ also allows them to fight while on the ground. Other than leverage, the art teaches hip throws and strikes. It is this art developed by Helio that then came to be known as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Reasons Why Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Should be in the Olympics
Worldwide appeal
Of the current martial arts with the potential to make it to the Olympics, BJJ is near the top of the list. BJJ is popular not only in Brazil but also in other countries such as the United States and the United Arab Emirates. In fact, there have been several national and international Jiu Jitsu tournaments that were organized in these countries in the past. It seems about time BJJ was made official and competed at the Olympic level.
High entertainment value
Jiu Jitsu is more exciting than the grappling martial arts already in the Olympics. BJJ doesn’t involve a lot of sparring like judo does and its finishes are electrifying. Finishes are the core of any martial art and BJJ happens to have more of them compared to say Tae Kwon Do or Judo. Submissions are also a huge aspect of BJJ that attracts viewership.
In addition, including BJJ in the Olympics would provide a chance for mixed martial art (MMA) fighters to represent their countries on a world stage. Most, if not all, of today’s top MMA fighters have a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. MMA itself might never make it to the Olympics because the mixed martial art’s format doesn’t guarantee the safety of its fighters. In this regard, BJJ will be a safer alternative for consideration for the Olympics instead of MMA.
Barriers to BJJ Joining the Olympic Stage
Strict Olympic Requirements
First off, Jiu Jitsu International Federation (JJIF) doesn’t meet the requirements of the International Olympics Committee (IOC). Therefore, it can’t be recognized as an international organization capable of bringing BJJ to the Olympics stage. While the IOC demands that international federations hold an election annually to choose their chairperson, JJIF is a private organization chaired and funded by Carlos Gracie Junior; a descendant of the art’s pioneers. It is noteworthy to indicate that JJIF was actually a family business in the beginning. BJJ went international much later when it started organizing tournaments all over the world. It is pretty clear that Master Carlos isn’t willing to step down and allow the federation to be governed by another chairperson, let alone being regulated by the International Olympics Committee (IOC).
Anti-Doping Regulations
Secondly, to be an Olympic sport, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu would have to meet the anti-doping testing policies. Cheating in competitions through the use of performance-enhancing drugs has been rampant in recent times. Now, more than ever, there is a need to verify (through tests) that athletes are clear of such drugs and that competition is fair. This would be impractical with Jiu Jitsu because major BJJ federations do not currently have an anti-doping system. In fact, JJIF only carries out anti-doping tests on black belt levels – and usually only for the winner of the category. Previously, some fighters such as Felipe Pena and Joao Miyao have been suspended from tournaments because they tested positive for banned substances. These attempts at exposing athletes on ‘the juice’ are a bare minimum in professional sports. More should be done if the art is to be allowed to be part of Olympic Games.
BJJ Rules Are Complex
The other stumbling block that could cause Jiu Jitsu to never make it to the Olympics is the complexity of its rules especially during the ground game. Only staunch fans of the martial art and its practitioners would enjoy a typical BJJ match. For the masses, watching a BJJ tournament may be boring as it is hard for one to follow how points are scored or to know what’s going on. One minute, you see two grown fighters pajamas hugging on stage, and in the next, one has their hand raised in victory.
In a BJJ match, one can get points for any of the following tactics and moves;
- Throw = 4 points,
- Sweep = 2 points
- Guard pass = 3 points
- Knee mount = 2 points
- Back mount = 4 points
- Full mount = 4 points
The goal of a BJJ match is to submit one’s opponent and score more points, hence if by the end of the match there isn’t any submission, then the player with the most points wins.
There are however several factors of the game that could make a BJJ match boring. For instance, passing of a guard could take a long while and make the match boring. Alternatively, the fighters may pull a double guard at the same time and stalling may occur which slows the fight down. To make jiu jitsu more appealing to the masses, the rules need to be watered down. One suggestion is to eliminate the complicated points system and have fighters only focus on achieving a submission.
Lastly, being an Olympic sport would mean that BJJ tournaments are standardized so that they occur in line with precise Olympic timetables; but this could be problematic to the martial art because it has a long-standing reputation of being dynamic.
What Being an Olympic Sport Would Look Like for BJJ
BJJ Would Change: Do We Want That?
Consequent to being an Olympic Sport, BJJ’s rules will need to be changed to make the art simpler and more attractive. I’m not convinced the Olympics are the right way for the sport to go.
Take a look at Judo for example. They changed many of Judo’s rules so it could fit into Olympic expectations; currently, the rules are that one cannot attack their opponent’s leg or lock them. Additionally, traditional judo was focused on newaza (ground grappling), tachi newaza (standing) and leg attacks. Nowadays, it is more focused on throws. Judo has transformed so much that I am certain that if Jigoro Kano (its founder) were to be raised from the dead, he would be disappointed. I doubt modern day Judo is what he intended for the martial art. Some would strongly argue that getting into the Olympics was the worst thing to happen to judo.
If Jiu Jitsu becomes an Olympic sport, then its fans should anticipate watching inefficient matches. Sadly it would be almost certain that traditional Brazilian Jiu jitsu competition would be forever changed. Academies’ independence will also be gulped up by Olympic politics which generally demand that things are done the “Olympic way”. It would also mean that fighters would have to compete at national level to be able to climb the ladder and compete on higher stages such as the World and Pans. Is this really what we want for the art?
If BJJ Became an Olympic Sport, Which Country Would Dominate?
It would obviously be Brazil! It is no surprise that Brazil has the most Jiu Jitsu world champions and that most of them are born in Rio de Janeiro which is the heart of the martial art. Second on the list, would probably be the United States of America. The country had the second most representation after Brazil during the European Jiu Jitsu Championship 2020 season. Out of the four hundred and forty three (443) athletes from forty three (43) countries registered, Brazil had a total of one hundred and eighty seven (187) athletes while the United States had forty eight (48) athletes.
The United States has also produced a ton of talented BJJ fighters including the former UFC champion, BJ Penn and 50/50 guard pioneer, Ryan Hall. The two countries rule the numbers in European Sports. Other highly competitive countries that have a significant number of champions include Poland, the UK, Sweden, Japan and France.
I would also possibly vouch the United Arab Emirates as one of the countries that would perform well. BJJ is widely practiced in the country and many competitors from the UAE are highly skilled. In the UAE, BJJ is the biggest mainstream sport and is actually a mandatory subject among those taught in schools. The martial art is also mandatory for all military personnel and many citizens train for free in clubs.
Final Thoughts
Well, the answer to the question, “Is Jiu Jitsu an Olympic sport?”: not yet, but it may one day be. Some of the reasons the martial art is not yet an Olympic sport is because the federation closest and most capable of bringing it to the Olympics, The Jiu Jitsu International Federation, doesn’t meet the guidelines set by the International Olympics Committee (IOC) which requires that annual elections of its board members are held. Moreover, the federation doesn’t have a drug policy at all and the martial art’s rules are far too complex for the public to comprehend. To be accepted into the Olympics, the rules need to be simplified to make the art more attractive.
While being an IOC recognized sport and accruing a wide fan base spreading throughout the World seems to be an appealing move, it’s important to consider how Olympic regulation would change BJJ. Professional jiu jitsu fighters don’t necessarily need to take part in Olympics to earn money; they can still do so through sponsorships, organizing seminars or even running academies.
However, should the JJIF be drawn into the Olympic regulation maze, then they should work out a way of making sure that Jiu jitsu still stays Jiu jitsu. They could do this by ensuring that although the rules are simplified, the techniques of the art are not removed and that academies retain their independence. Additionally, private federations should still be allowed to organize private tournaments and championships.
Again, Olympic competition might not be the best route for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. BJJ can still be successful without the Olympics as many other non-Olympic sports can attest to.
REFERENCES
https://evolve-mma.com/blog/9-reasons-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-perfect-martial-art/