Kukolj prefers shido for stepping out of contest area

Aleksandar Kukolj, a former European Champion and World Silver medalist, likes some of the new rules implemented by the IJF but one rule he doesn’t like is the stepping out rule where it’s no longer a penalty for straying outside the contest area.

In an interview with the IJF, Kukolj says he understands the motivation behind the new rule. “You don’t want players to win by shido, so you remove shido for stepping out.”

The problem with that approach, according to Kukolj, is that it makes it too easy for players to avoid being thrown by just stepping out when they are in danger.

He would prefer it if the rules were on the opposite end of the spectrum, where it’s a shido anytime you step out.

“Even if someone pushes you hard, you can always push back or step to the side or do a sacrifice throw to avoid stepping out,” he says, adding: “If you know that stepping out will result in shidos, I guarantee you it will produce more throws.”

To illustrate this point, he said if he is pushed outside by his opponent, they might manage to do that to him once or twice. But Kukolj says he knows full well the third time it happens, he will get hansoku-make, so he will do whatever he can to avoid stepping out. “I’ll start attacking with sumi-gaeshi or tomoe-nage or seoi-nage to avoid being pushed out,” he said. “I guarantee you sumo wrestlers will never have a chance in judo.”