After training for about a year I was a four-stripe white belt. I had mentioned to a visiting black-belt who was also an IBJJF referee that I was intending to compete in an IBJJF event that year, knowing that I was a Judo Black Belt, he must have mentioned to my professor later that I would be DQ’d if I competed at white belt. My professor came to me after class and mentioned that he was going to promote me before he left town, and I thought, OK, cool. It was the day before he left, I participated in both the fundamental and advanced classes, both classes ended i got dressed and was about to leave (pretty much everyone was already gone) he walked up to me and handed me a blue-belt. I went back into the locker room and put my Gi back on so I could take a proper picture. As I drove home I felt terrible, why would he rob me of the honor of promoting me in front of my classmates? At the time, I was more confused than angry, but as I think back on it, it really pisses me off. Here’s what happened, he got called on something that he should have seen on his own and because he was embarrassed, he took it out on me, it was a dick move and not something you should ever expect from a black belt.
If you have a story where improper (or proper) judo was displayed, share it in the comments, I’d love to hear it.
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