Judo Gold Medalist Natsumi Kakita Retires in 2026 After Tokyo 2020 Triumph By Daniel Richardson | Editor-in-Chief, Archysport | Updated: June 10, 2024 Natsumi Kakita, the 33-year-old judoka who won gold in the women’s 48kg category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, has announced her retirement from competitive judo effective January 2026. The announcement comes after … Read more
JADA Appoints Former Olympic Judo Medalist Tanabe Yoko as New President JADA Appoints Former Olympic Judo Medalist Tanabe Yoko as New President The Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA) announced on April 24 that Tanabe Yoko, a 60-year-old former judo Olympic medalist, has assumed the role of president effective April 23, according to an official statement. Tanabe, … Read more
Olympic Judo Gold Medalist Yoko Tanabe Named First Female President of Japan Anti-Doping Agency By Daniel Richardson | Editor-in-Chief, Archysport Updated: June 12, 2025 | Tokyo, Japan (UTC+9) Olympic judo gold medalist Yoko Tanabe has been appointed as the first female president of the Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA), a historic milestone for clean sport governance … Read more
Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA) announced on Wednesday that Yoko Tanabe, a judo Olympic medalist, has been appointed as its new president, according to an official statement from the organization. The 60-year-old former judoka, who won a bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, will assume the role effective immediately, marking a significant shift in the … Read more
95 Young Judokas Compete in 46th All-Awaji Junior Judo Tournament By Daniel Richardson | Published June 12, 2024 | Updated June 12, 2024 The 46th All-Awaji Junior Judo Tournament, hosted by Suzu City’s Cultural and Sports Center on Awaji Island, concluded today with 95 young athletes from six clubs competing to showcase their skills. Organized … Read more
Saito and Sato Claim Heavyweight Titles at Fukushima Prefecture Elementary Judo Championship Seinosuke Saito of Motomiya Sports Association and Kotone Sato of Koriyama Judo Association secured championship titles in the heavyweight divisions at the Fukushima Prefecture Elementary School Grade-Level Judo Championship. The tournament took place on July 21 at the Koriyama City Seibu No. 2 … Read more
The Japan Professional Tennis Association (JPTA) and the Japan Stringing Association (JSA) have formalized a collaborative partnership aimed at enhancing the quality of tennis infrastructure and expanding the sport’s reach across Japan. This initiative focuses on standardizing equipment maintenance and improving the technical environment for players at all levels, from grassroots enthusiasts to competitive professionals. … Read more
Ex-Tunisia Defender’s Scathing Criticism of FIFA: ‘A Disaster for World Football’ Former Tunisia international Hatem Ben Hamida has condemned FIFA’s decision to allow Japan and South Korea to host the 2026 World Cup without African representation, calling it a “tragedy” that risks alienating the continent entirely from the sport. In an interview with L’Équipe, Ben … Read more
The Physics of the “Dead Ball”: Why Soccer’s Knuckleball Swerves and Dips The “no-spin” free kick, often called a knuckleball or mukaiten shot, remains one of the most difficult challenges for goalkeepers in modern football. When a player strikes the ball with minimal rotation, the lack of spin causes the air flow around the sphere … Read more
Kishu Central Judo Team Advances to Semifinals at 2026 Kyushu High School Tournament for the First Time in Eight Years By Daniel Richardson, Editor-in-Chief, Archysport The Kishu Central Judo Team secured a historic berth in the semifinals of the 2026 Kyushu High School Sports Tournament, marking their first appearance in the final four since 2018. … Read more