17 Russian judo athletes with visual impairments to compete at international tournament in Kazakhstan

On May 12–13, the international judo competition for athletes with visual impairments — the "2026 IBSA JUDO GRAND PRIX ASTANA" — is taking place at the Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov Wrestling Palace in Astana (Republic of Kazakhstan), under the auspices of the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA).

More than 150 of the world's strongest athletes from 25 countries are expected to participate. Medals will be contested in eight weight categories. The competition program includes men's and women's categories in classes J1 and J2.

The tournament features 17 Russian athletes from 11 regions of the country: Alesya Stepanyuk (Moscow), Viktoria Potapova (Moscow), Shakhban Kurbanov (Republic of Dagestan); Artyom Merkulov (Republic of Bashkortostan), Viktor Rudenko (Khabarovsk Krai); Saado Abdurakhmanov (Republic of Dagestan), Alexander Zhuzhgov (Perm Krai), Ilyas Magomedov (Republic of Dagestan), Alsu Nasyrova (Republic of Bashkortostan), Daria Stakanova (Saint Petersburg), Pavel Selivanov (Krasnoyarsk Krai); Andrey Dyakov (Novosibirsk Oblast), Magomedzakir Magomedov (Republic of Dagestan), Abdula Omarov (Republic of Dagestan), Bariyat Radzhabova (Republic of Dagestan), Magomedkhabib Saaduyev (Republic of Dagestan), Yaroslav Andrievsky (Zaporozhye Oblast).

Live streams of the competition are available at: https://youtube.com/@ibsablindsports?si=1ZGTBwmMoSEB8dpS

Judo for athletes with visual impairments first entered the Paralympic Games program in 1988 in Seoul. In 2004 in Athens, women competed in judo for the first time. The main difference in the rules is that judokas begin competing while holding each other's kimonos (this grip is called "kumikata"). If the athletes' connection is broken, the referee stops the bout with the command "matte" (wait), and the athletes return to their starting positions. During a five-minute match, participants are awarded points for throws, holds, hooks, and strangleholds. The judoka who accumulates the most points is declared the winner. The key difference from other elite judo competitions is that athletes are allowed to make contact with their opponent before the bout begins for orientation purposes. At the XVI Summer Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Viktoria Potapova, Alesya Stepanyuk, and Anatoly Shevchenko won bronze medals.