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A parent looks at the certificates on a dojo wall and sees a jumble of logos: a national federation, a style association, a world body, a SafeSport badge. A teen taekwondo player wants to know which tournaments count toward the national team. A new jiu-jitsu blue belt wonders why the academy asks for an IBJJF registration. Martial arts have more organizations than most sports, and they don’t always explain how they fit together. This page sorts out the martial arts governing bodies for karate, taekwondo, judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu: who runs each art worldwide and in the US, where each stands with the Olympics, and what it means when your school says it’s “affiliated.”
Who runs each martial art
| Art | World body | US body | Olympics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karate | World Karate Federation (WKF) | USA Karate (national governing body) | Only at Tokyo 2020; not at Paris 2024 or LA28 |
| Taekwondo | World Taekwondo (WT) | USA Taekwondo (national governing body) | Medal sport since Sydney 2000; 8 events at LA28 |
| Judo | International Judo Federation (IJF) | USA Judo (national governing body) | Since 1964 (men) and 1992 (women); 14 events at LA28 |
| Brazilian jiu-jitsu | International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) runs the best-known events | No Olympic governing body | Not an Olympic sport |
In the US, a national governing body (NGB) is the organization recognized by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to run a sport: national championships, team selection, rules, coach and referee education and athlete safety. USA Karate, USA Taekwondo and USA Judo all describe themselves as their sport’s NGB and display USOPC membership.
Karate: WKF and USA Karate
The World Karate Federation writes the sport karate rules used at international events: kumite (controlled sparring) and kata (forms), with 102 approved kata. It has about 200 member national federations across five continental federations and is the karate organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee.
USA Karate is the national governing body in the US. Its signature events for 2027 are the USA Open & Junior International Cup in Las Vegas and the USA Karate National Championships & Team Trials in Pittsburgh, and it sends teams to events such as the Junior Pan American Championships. Many dojos also belong to a style organization (Shotokan, Goju-ryu, Shito-ryu, Wado-ryu and others) that sets its own syllabus and ranks; that’s separate from sport competition and perfectly normal.
Olympic status: karate made its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, with kata and three kumite weight classes each for men and women. It wasn’t included in Paris 2024 and was not selected for LA28, which USA Karate’s board chair called “particularly disappointing.” The WKF has said it is now aiming for Brisbane 2032.
Taekwondo: World Taekwondo, Kukkiwon and USA Taekwondo
World Taekwondo, founded in 1973 as the World Taekwondo Federation, governs Olympic-style taekwondo and para taekwondo and writes the competition rules, including the electronic scoring system. It has about 215 member national associations as of 2026. The Kukkiwon in Seoul, often called World Taekwondo Headquarters, is the technical authority that certifies black-belt (dan) ranks and trains instructors. Under its system, children under 15 hold junior “poom” ranks that convert to dan ranks at 15.
USA Taekwondo is the national governing body: it runs national rankings and team selection, promotes events such as the Pan American Club Championships, offers coach courses and has dedicated SafeSport and youth/parent SafeSport sections with a link to report a safety concern. Not every school teaches Olympic-style taekwondo: some follow the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) style, (the World Taekwondo Federation was founded separately from it in 1973), or other associations with their own forms and rules.
Olympic status: taekwondo has been an official medal sport since Sydney 2000. At LA28 it will have eight events, four weight classes for men (-58, -68, -80 and +80 kg) and four for women (-49, -57, -67 and +67 kg), at the LA Convention Center, using the best-of-three-rounds format.
Judo: IJF, Kodokan and USA Judo
Judo was founded by Jigoro Kano, who opened the Kodokan in Tokyo in 1882; it is still judo’s headquarters, and many judoka register their ranks there. The International Judo Federation, founded in 1951, has about 200 national federations, runs the IJF World Tour and writes the refereeing rules (the current cycle brought back the yuko score).
USA Judo, based in Colorado Springs, is the national governing body. It sanctions clubs and tournaments, including its National Point Tournaments, and its membership includes secondary medical insurance. If your child’s club is a USA Judo club, tournaments and promotions follow its rules.
Olympic status: judo joined the Olympics in 1964 for men and 1992 for women. LA28 will have 14 judo events: seven weight classes each for men (-60 to +100 kg) and women (-48 to +78 kg) plus the mixed team event introduced at Tokyo 2020.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu: the IBJJF and other promotions
BJJ has no Olympic governing body. The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation runs the best-known gi and no-gi tournaments, including its World Championship, and publishes the most widely used rule book and a graduation system. Athletes register with the IBJJF to compete, and black belts can apply for IBJJF certification. The graduation system sets minimum ages for each belt (16 for blue and purple, 18 for brown and black, with black at 18 only for an adult world champion at brown belt) and minimum times in each belt for adults, while leaving promotions to each professor.
Many other promotions run BJJ and submission-grappling events under their own rules, especially for no-gi and leg locks. Check which rule set an event uses before you sign up; our rules page covers the IBJJF version.
High school, college and adult competition
Martial arts aren’t high school or NCAA championship sports in most of the US, so teen and college athletes compete through clubs and federations. National governing bodies run cadet and junior divisions for teens, many universities have student-run martial arts clubs, and adults can compete in masters or veterans divisions; the IBJJF has masters categories from age 30 to 61 and older. If the school-team route matters to your teen, wrestling is the combat sport with high school and NCAA programs.
What school or dojo affiliation means
Most martial arts schools are small businesses. Some are member clubs of an NGB, some belong to a style association, some to a franchise, and some are independent. Affiliation isn’t a guarantee of quality, but it tells you a lot. Ask:
- Is the club a member of USA Karate, USA Taekwondo or USA Judo (or another recognized body)? Member clubs can enter sanctioned events, and their coaches fall under the federation’s rules and the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
- Who recognizes the ranks? A Kukkiwon dan certificate, a Kodokan or national federation judo rank, or an IBJJF-registered black belt can be checked. Belts from an independent school are fine for training but may not carry over if you move.
- Are the instructors background-checked and safety-trained? This matters most for kids; see below.
- Is there insurance? Ask what covers your child on the mat and at tournaments.
Athlete safety: the U.S. Center for SafeSport
The U.S. Center for SafeSport opened on March 3, 2017, and is authorized by Congress to prevent and respond to abuse in the Olympic and Paralympic movement. It has authority over misconduct reports across all Olympic and Paralympic national governing bodies, which covers more than 11 million people, including members of USA Karate, USA Taekwondo and USA Judo. Its public Centralized Disciplinary Database lets anyone look up past sanctions, and anyone can report a concern at uscenterforsafesport.org. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.
Many BJJ academies and independent karate, kung fu or taekwondo schools are outside the Olympic movement, so SafeSport rules may not apply to them. That doesn’t make them unsafe, but it puts the questions on you: ask whether instructors have had background checks and abuse-prevention training, whether parents can watch classes, and how one-on-one time with kids is handled. Our youth martial arts guide has a full checklist.
Uniforms that meet federation rules
Federations set uniform rules for their events. For Olympic-style taekwondo, the Daedo Taekwondo Beginner Uniform is listed as World Taekwondo recognized and comes with pants and a belt (about $28). For judo, the FUJI Single Weave Judo Gi is a cotton-blend uniform with a white belt (about $65). For kids’ BJJ, the Hayabusa Essential Jiu Jitsu Gi Kids is listed as IBJJF compliant and includes a white belt (about $80). Club and NGB events may have stricter rules than a local tournament, so check first. More on our martial arts gear page.
Daedo Taekwondo Beginner Uniform
- WT recognized (listing)
- White V-neck, pants and belt
- About $28
FUJI Single Weave Judo Gi with Belt
- Single weave, cotton blend
- White belt included
- About $65
Hayabusa Essential Jiu Jitsu Gi Kids
- IBJJF compliant (listing)
- Pearl weave, white belt included
- About $80
Related: our martial arts guide, the MMA organizations and boxing organizations pages, and jiu-jitsu recovery for after tournament days.
Martial arts organizations FAQs
Is karate still an Olympic sport?
No. Karate was on the program only at Tokyo 2020. It wasn’t part of Paris 2024 and wasn’t selected for LA28. The WKF is aiming for Brisbane 2032.
Is Brazilian jiu-jitsu in the Olympics?
No. BJJ isn’t an Olympic sport and has no Olympic governing body. The IBJJF runs the best-known tournaments, and other promotions use their own rules. Judo, BJJ’s parent art, is Olympic.
What is the difference between WT and ITF taekwondo?
They’re two branches of taekwondo with different forms and competition rules. World Taekwondo style is the Olympic one, with electronic scoring and Kukkiwon black-belt ranks; ITF style follows the International Taekwon-Do Federation. Ask a school which style it teaches.
Does SafeSport apply to martial arts schools?
It covers members of Olympic and Paralympic national governing bodies, such as USA Karate, USA Taekwondo and USA Judo and their member clubs. Independent schools and most BJJ academies may be outside it, so ask about background checks and child-safety policies.
How can I check a martial arts instructor?
Ask which organizations the school belongs to and who recognizes its ranks, then verify with that organization. Search the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s Centralized Disciplinary Database, and ask the school about background checks and whether parents may watch classes.