L’équipe de France de judo finished the World Judo Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, without a single gold medal for the first time since 2003, securing just two silver and two bronze medals and placing eighth in the final global standings.
Baku Medals Table and Final Standings
The French delegation wrapped up the eight-day tournament on Sunday, October 11, finishing seventh in the mixed team event to cap off a difficult campaign. Japan dominated the overall standings, collecting 12 total medals, including seven golds. Meanwhile, France’s four podium finishes came exclusively through individual weight categories. Kaïla Issoufi took silver in the -78 kg division, and Romane Dicko claimed silver in the +78 kg category. Shirine Boukli (-48 kg) and Dayyan Boulemtafes (-73 kg) added bronze medals to the tally.
Stéphane Nomis Acknowledges the Failure
Before the global championships began, French Judo Federation President Stéphane Nomis had publicly set an ambitious target of four gold medals for the squad. Facing the media on Franceinfo after the competition concluded, Nomis did not mince words about the shortfall. “Oui, c’est vrai, j’avais annoncé quatre médailles d’or, je ne vais pas me cacher. On a deux finales, on ne passe pas très loin, mais je pensais qu’on était capables d’aller plus loin. C’est dur, ça fait mal. On a manqué notre championnat. On a raté quelque chose. Si cela fait 23 ans qu’on n’a pas fait de compétition sans titre, c’est qu’il y a quelque chose qu’on fait mal,” Nomis stated.
Emergency Meetings and Imminent Federation Changes
Viewing the result as a stark warning less than two years before the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, federation leadership has scheduled urgent “Assises du judo” for October 26 to implement structural changes. This crisis mirrors the aftermath of the 2022 World Championships, where the French women secured four medals and one title, but the men’s team failed to reach any podiums. That performance prompted the replacement of men’s team manager Christophe Gagliano a month later ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Disciplinary Struggles and Coaching Concerns
Beyond individual underperformances—such as those by Joan-Benjamin Gaba, returning from injury, and Clarisse Agbégnénou, coming back from a maternity break—federation officials highlighted recurring disciplinary issues on the tatami. Several French fighters incurred penalties leading to disqualifications under hansoku-make rules, notably Luka Mkheidze (-60 kg), who was eliminated in his opening match after receiving three penalties. General manager of the French teams Frédérique Jossinet addressed the issue to L’Équipe, saying, “On a eu plusieurs disqualifiés sur ça. Pourtant, je faire intervenir les arbitres à l’Insep avant chaque championnat. Le judo, c’est s’imposer et s’adapter. Et ça ne vient pas comme ça.”
Emerging Talents for the Next Olympic Cycle
Despite the overall disappointment, several younger athletes established themselves during the Baku tournament. Twenty-year-old Dayyan Boulemtafes (-73 kg) and 25-year-old Kaïla Issoufi secured their medals in their maiden world championship appearances. Additionally, 20-year-old Kelvin Ray delivered a notable performance against double Olympic champion Hifumi Abe in the -66 kg category. All three athletes are positioned to form the core of the French squad heading toward the next World Championships scheduled for June 7 to 14, 2027, in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Worth a look
