What martial arts are used in the Olympics Games?

These days, there are a total of six martial arts that feature in the Olympics. These are boxing, Judo, wrestling, Taekwondo, Karate and fencing. Whilst some have been used in the Olympics for hundreds of years, others have been around for a few decades and are relatively newer in comparison.

What’s also interesting is the link between each martial art and how Olympic rules have slowly changed how they are performed. In some cases, the Olympic rules can make a martial art look completely different from its roots, whereas the likes of wrestling hasn’t really changed much over the years. Each discipline is also divided by gender as well as weight categories, just like you’d see outside of the Olympics. If you read on then you will see how this works, as well as the dates of which discipline was added as an official sport.

Can martial arts be removed from the Olympic games?

If a martial art is deemed unpopular or unsafe then it can be removed from the Olympic games. Back in ancient Greece, you had Pankration which is often dubbed as ancient MMA. This was pretty gruesome though and it wasn’t uncommon to see competitors fight to the death. Obviously, at some point Pankration was removed due to its barbarity.

In some cases, a martial art can also be removed due to lack of popularity or relevance. This is the same for sports too. For instance, baseball and softball have both been removed in the past after being voted out. Generally speaking, it’s quite rare for something to be removed from the Olympics, however rules can be modified over the years.

Can martial arts be added to the Olympic games?

Like any sport, martial arts can be added to the Olympic games, so long as they fit the right criteria. Often, an organized body will get together to try and enter their sport into the Olympic games – and this process can take years to do.

In recent times, there have been rumors of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu being added to the Olympics but this has yet to materialize. Still, if persistant enough then this could become a real possibility. With this said, martial arts are sometimes accepted into the Olympics but typically this is quite rare.

Often, fans don’t like their disciplines being Olympic sports either, as it can create unwanted bureaucracy and soften the rules. For example, if you look at Taekwondo today – compared to 50 years back, it has undoubtedly been watered down due to point scoring and more regulation. The same can be said for Judo and Karate. So, getting a martial art into the Olympics isn’t always seen as a good thing.

Boxing

Boxing has been a staple of the Olympic games since 1904. However, during that time it has been mired in controversy. For instance, an independent enquiry found that in the 2016 Olympics, boxing bouts were ‘fixed’ by compliant judges and referees.

There are also some boxers who have criticised Olympic boxing for such incidents. One of these was the Irish boxer Michael Conlan, who was visibly angry and upset about his controversial decision loss in 2016.

Aside from controversy, Olympic boxing is an amateur event. This means that boxers aren’t paid which explains why Communist Cuba often performs well at the Olympics. It also typically means that the boxers involved and young up and comers, rather than those at the top of their game. Another facet of amateur boxing also involves wearing headgear too.

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Judo

In the Tokyo 1964 Olympics, Judo was added which was due to the host country being Japan. In reality, it should have been added a long time ago. Since then, Judo has been strongly associated with the Olympics and earning a gold medal in Olympic Judo is seen as the pinnacle of the sport. As a result, many Judoka see it as the ultimate goal to go and represent their country at the Olympics.

Interestingly, Judos induction to the Olympics has seen a lot of rule changes over the years. In fairness, this isn’t entirely down to the Olympics but it may have been influential.

Basically, throws touching the legs have been banned, as have certain submissions such as using your own gi to choke out the opponent. The result is that modern Judo looks drastically different compared to the Judo first shown in 1964. This ties in with our earlier point that some fans don’t always see the Olympics as a good thing for their sport.

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Karate

Another introduction to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics was Karate. These days, there are technically two forms of Karate that are performed at the Olympics. The first is regular Karate which involves sparring (which is also known as kumite). Like boxing, safety is paramount so this means gloves and head gear, as well as the traditional Karate kimono.

Once again, Olympic rules have shaped how Karate is done and some view these changes as too harsh. For example, in 2020, Saudi black belt Tareg Hamedi was disqualified for knocking out his opponent. This meant that he earned silver instead of gold which was obviously dissapointing. Technically, he was using ‘excessive force’ which is not legal. If anything, this shows how Olympic Karate is hugely different compared to the self defense Karate that is taught and fought elsewhere.

These days, Karate also has another category that is based on performing kata. This is a solo event and is meant to show the perfect form, rather than effectiveness. For none Karateka, thing of solo dancing which is scored by watching judges.

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Wrestling

Technically, Greco Roman wrestling was introduced as an Olympic sport in 1896. However, wrestling is actually one of the oldest martial arts to be used in the Olympics and dates back to ancient Greece. We all know that the Greeks loved their wrestling so this makes sense. Of course, the 1896 version had more rules compared to ancient times when things were a bit rougher in terms of rules (or lack of)

Almost ten years later, Freestyle wrestling was added which has slightly different rules, most noticeably the ability to touch the opponents lower body. Arguably, wrestling and Judo have the most realistic fighting methods compared to the others on this list when looking away from sports.

This is because a number of Judo and wrestling Olympians such as Ronda Rousey and Henry Cejudo have gone on to have stellar MMA careers in the UFC. This shows that grappling can be a very effective base for learning martial arts.

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Fencing

One of the older martial arts in the Olympics is fencing. This was added in 1896 and has been a regular sport ever since. For those that don’t know, fencing is the art of sword fighting and uses thin swords which also add an element of speed and technical ability to the art.

As of writing, fencing is the only weapons-based martial art that is used in the Olympics. However, due to its padding and head gear, it’s still very safe and isn’t considered as dangerous for any of its practitioners.

Generally speaking, fencing is one of the few martial arts that outsiders can watch and truly appreciate. Often with the others on this list, a layman may lack the technical knowledge to fully understand what is going on. With fencing, even if you don’t know all of the rules – you can still understand it and enjoy it to a good degree.

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Taekwondo

A later introduction, Taekwondo was first seen in 1998 when the Olympics were hosted in South Korea. As TKD is Korean, this makes sense. Since then, it has remained popular but suffers from similar criticisms that Karate has been blasted for, such as the excessive force rule.

Interestingly, if you watch a Taekwondo Olympics bout, you will see an emphasis on technical ability over effectiveness. In other words, the kicks may lack real knockout power, but they are incredibly technical and can reach the opponents head from up close. From this perspective, the Taekwondo on display can be appreciated for its athleticism and tactical prowess. Once again, Olympic Taekwondo is a good example of how a martial art can be greatly impacted by its rule set which helps mould the way it is performed.

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