The article discusses the high rate of judo matches ending in penalties at the Paris Olympics, with one in five fights concluding this way, a significant increase from the Tokyo Olympics. Brazilian judokas Rafaela Silva and Rafael Macedo lost potential medals due to penalties, sparking criticism from athletes and commentators like Flávio Canto. The International Judo Federation (IJF) defends the integrity of its arbitration despite complaints from various delegations, including Italy. The article highlights the ongoing debate over the fairness and impact of recent rule changes in judo, which aim to enhance athlete safety and encourage dynamic play but have led to dissatisfaction among competitors and spectators.

Uruguayan Paralympians Henry Borges and Mariana Mederos, a married couple, share a common passion for judo and a dream to compete together at the Paralympic Games. They met at a rehabilitation center in Montevideo and have been together for 16 years. Henry is a three-time Paralympian and Parapan American champion, while Mariana has won a silver medal at the Parapan American Games. They aim to qualify for the Tokyo Paralympic Games and dream of starting a Paralympic judo school in Uruguay to teach people with vision impairment.

Melanie Clement won the gold medal at the Tbilisi Grand Prix Judo, defeating world champion and Ukrainian star Daria Bilodid. Clement's coach, Lucie Decosse, praised her for scoring two points against a strong competitor. In the men's competition, Lukhumi Chkhvimiani won his third gold medal by defeating Walide Khyar. Italian judoka Odette Giuffrida won gold in the under 52 kg category against Israeli Gili Cohen, while Israeli Tal Flicker won gold in the under 66 kg category. Georgian Vazha Margvelashvili was also highlighted for his performance, winning a bronze medal.

Portuguese judoka Telma Monteiro, who has a bronze medal from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, five European champion titles, and four World Championship runner-up titles, is preparing to compete for medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, aiming to be the first judoka to participate in five Olympic Games. Monteiro's passion for judo began through her sister Ana Monteiro and developed in her local neighborhood. She joined the national team at 15 and quickly rose to international competition. Despite the pressures of competition, Monteiro finds pleasure in the sport and recalls the Olympics as the event where she felt the most nervousness.

The Antalya Grand Prix concluded with Zelym Kotsoiev emerging as the top judoka, defeating Arman Adamian in a closely contested match. Kosovo's Loriana Kuka won her first gold in the under 78 kg category, contributing to Kosovo's top position in the medal tally with three golds. Russia and Turkey also performed well, with Inal Tasoev securing Russia's second gold and Sebile Akbulut winning gold for Turkey in the heaviest category.

The final day of the Judo Grand Slam in Astana's Barys Arena saw heavyweights excite the packed stands. Matvey Kanikovskiy won the under 100 kg category, his third consecutive gold in the World Judo Tour. Spanish judoka Tristani Mosakhlishvili topped the under 90 kg podium, while Japan's Izumi Mao claimed gold in the under 78 kg category, her country's first in Astana. China's Xu Shiyan triumphed in the over 78 kg class, and Tamerlan Bashaev repeated his victory from two weeks ago in the over 100 kg category. The Kazakh team concluded the event with seven medals, including a gold in the under 60 kg category, and the local audience fervently supported their athletes throughout.