The 8th March is the International Women’s Day. Women also play an important role in judo. For that reason we spoke with EJU Vice President
Jane Bridge-Charlot. In 1980 she became the first female world champion and in the EJU she is responsible for the education sector.
How would you describe the situation regarding female coaches and referees?
For numerous reasons women’s judo took off later than men’s. So, in some aspects women are behind. Refereeing and coaching is one of these areas but that is normal due to the time line difference. However, we need to encourage women to stay in judo and go into coaching and refereeing.
We see more and more women referees I know that the IJF, EJU and national federations are looking for parity and on the international scene we see women both in the coaching chair and in the middle of the mat refereeing. We can even now see women coaching men which is an amazing breakthrough in a sport which is still male dominated.
Women are also breaking through into positions of responsibility, the Swedish judo federation has just elected a female President (and of course there are others). So, we are getting there slowly.
I am however completely against the idea of «quota». If women want to get to a position, then they must work hard (maybe harder than the men) for it. Not just get it because they are female.
There is a new EJU women’s group. What is it exactly?
Women’s Get Together at the Judo Festival 2017 in Porec
At the EJU judo festival in June in Porec we will be launching our new EJU women’s group. In Porec we will have our first «women’s get together» and we are expecting judo women from all over Europe; coaches, club players, competitors.
We will practice together on the mat, have some coaching from top women’s coaches, some elite women players will show their techniques. We will also have some discussion about women in judo, how to promote, inspire, support them. At the end of the weekend we will have brought women closer, started to create a network between us, made some new friends with a common passion, improved our judo and had a great time together.
Jane Bridge-Charlot, do you celebrate 8th March? If so, how?
For many years, I was leading the women’s commission in the Paris judo league. We would invite a French women’s champion to give a demonstration (e.g.: Lucie Décosse and Stephanie Possamai). But we also had workshops for women to try other Martial Arts such as Aikido, Kendo, jiu jitsu etc.Nowadays I’m busy in other ways but I am still happy to celebrate our international day with friends.
You became the first female World Champion. It was in 1980 in New York. What does it mean to you and how important is it for you up to date?
1980 she became the first female World Champion.
At the time, leading up to the World Championships, I was concentrated on my career; trying to improve, finding the right partners, the right training environment, etc., so I wasn’t thinking about being the first, I was just concentrated on being my best. But now, almost 40 years later, I realise that at that time we were pioneers for women in judo and the first world championships for women was an important step towards the inclusion of women’s judo in the Olympic Games. These days I forget I was World Champion it’s through other people that I am reminded.
In your opinion, how has women’s judo developed in the past 20 years?
Of course, as in all sports women’s judo has developed so much in the past 20 years. All aspects of women’s judo have improved: fitness, strength, technique and tactics. Also, participation has increased considerably. Women are represented in almost as many countries as the men. Attitudes have become very professional and I think, in general, women’s judo is taken as seriously as men’s.
What would you say if you were asked to compare women’s judo to men’s?
Judo is a highly technical sport and to be able to express oneself technically in high level competition we need many, many hours of quality training.The top women are as technical as the top men but I think that the depth in women’s judo isn’t as strong. With the correct training, all women are capable of reaching a high technical level and be able to demonstrate these skills in competition. As Vice President of the EJU in charge of education, I hope to provide excellent teaching and coaching tools through our education program to encourage girls and women to enhance their technical skills.
How important is it for you that girls are interested in and getting involved in judo?
Of course, for me judo is a fantastic discipline. It can give so much to everybody. In a world where material, aesthetic, superficial values are given importance, in judo we are all equal. We have the same judogi, we step on the same tatami, we do the same techniques. We help the younger and weaker ones and the older stronger ones help us. We are all individuals working for the group. Judo brings us back down to earth and remind us of the true values in life. In an environment where girls and women don’t always know how to behave, where they may feel inferior or lack in confidence, the judo family can help them be themselves and find their identity.
Do you think there is any advantage of being a female judoka?
I think it is very difficult to be a female judoka and it is a courageous choice!Even now, society tends to fit men and women in certain roles and usually a women’s role isn’t seen as a « fighting »role. So, on the other hand when we see women putting so much effort and energy into the quest to win. Suffering loss, injury, pain and disappointment but still coming back to train harder to improve and overcome their limits then I think we can respect this even more than for men.
Is there anything men learn from women in judo?
As in life we can all learn from each other. I think that in general the women’s situation in clubs is difficult because they don’t always have other women training partners. In clubs, women have to practice all the time with men, girls with boys. However, the women carry on and accept this situation. So maybe men could learn from women that we have to accept and make the most of a difficult situation.
How would you describe the situation regarding female coaches and referees?
For numerous reasons women’s judo took off later than men’s. So, in some aspects women are behind. Refereeing and coaching is one of these areas but that is normal due to the time line difference. However, we need to encourage women to stay in judo and go into coaching and refereeing.
We see more and more women referees I know that the IJF, EJU and national federations are looking for parity and on the international scene we see women both in the coaching chair and in the middle of the mat refereeing. We can even now see women coaching men which is an amazing breakthrough in a sport which is still male dominated.
Women are also breaking through into positions of responsibility, the Swedish judo federation has just elected a female President (and of course there are others). So, we are getting there slowly.
I am however completely against the idea of «quota». If women want to get to a position, then they must work hard (maybe harder than the men) for it. Not just get it because they are female.
There is a new EJU women’s group. What is it exactly?
Women’s Get Together at the Judo Festival 2017 in Porec
At the EJU judo festival in June in Porec we will be launching our new EJU women’s group. In Porec we will have our first «women’s get together» and we are expecting judo women from all over Europe; coaches, club players, competitors.
We will practice together on the mat, have some coaching from top women’s coaches, some elite women players will show their techniques. We will also have some discussion about women in judo, how to promote, inspire, support them. At the end of the weekend we will have brought women closer, started to create a network between us, made some new friends with a common passion, improved our judo and had a great time together.
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