The Blue Judogi

The modern use of the blue judogi was first suggested at an IJF Meeting in 1986. It was felt that players in a contest must be more readily distinguished, as compared with two combatants tangled in a web of white. The blue gi became standard in the 1990′s and immediately provided improved television (and now You Tube) coverage.

For higher level competition, a blue judogi must be worn by one of the two competitors for ease of distinction by the referee, judges, and spectators. Japanese practitioners and purists tend to look down on the use of the non-traditional blue judogi. In North America and elsewhere, the trend toward blue judogis has grown without bounds to include every day use in recreational dojos. The first judoka of the Almonte Judo Club to wear a blue judogi was Rochelle MacDonald during the 1998-99 season.