"VAN" (Sports Desk - 22.08.2026) :: Teddy Riner's planned return to international judo has been delayed again, adding another layer of uncertainty to a fascinating second half of the 2026 season as the sport begins to focus on the World Championships in Baku.
The 37-year-old French heavyweight had intended to make his individual comeback at the Grand Prix in Lima before competing at the inaugural Grand Slam in Lausanne. A shoulder injury suffered in training forced him to withdraw from both.
It is the same shoulder that required surgery in 2013, although an operation is not necessary this time. Riner has been advised to rest for at least three weeks before gradually resuming his preparation.
“This period of recovery is necessary to allow me to continue my preparation in the best possible conditions and, above all, without taking any unnecessary risks,” Riner explained. “I am therefore forced to give up my participation in the tournament in Lausanne.”
The timing is inconvenient. Riner has not competed individually since winning his third individual Olympic title at Paris 2024, where he also helped France to a second mixed team Olympic crown. His only subsequent competitive appearance came for Paris Saint-Germain at the Champions League mixed team event in Montpellier in December 2024.
His Olympic ranking points have since depreciated, leaving one of judo's greatest champions needing to rebuild his position on the IJF World Ranking. With the World Championships in Baku among his objectives, opportunities to collect points are becoming increasingly valuable.
Japan well clear in 2026
While Riner waits, Japan has emphatically set the pace on the World Judo Tour.
Japanese judoka have collected 27 gold, 12 silver and 20 bronze medals, giving them 59 medals in total. Russia follows with 11 gold medals, while France has ten. Azerbaijan has eight World Tour victories and Brazil seven. Figures after the Grand Prix in Lima.
The figures underline Japan's extraordinary depth during the opening stages of the Los Angeles 2028 cycle, but Baku will offer a very different test when individual world titles are decided.
Two athletes who will attract enormous attention are Azerbaijan's reigning Olympic champions Hidayat Heydarov and Zelym Kotsoiev. Both completed the World Championships-Olympic Games double in 2024, becoming world champions before taking Olympic gold in Paris.
Repeating that success at a home World Championships brings another level of pressure. Both have experienced defeat since becoming Olympic champions, a reminder that their status also makes them prized targets for every opponent.
Their preparations will involve strong international training camps and an abundance of world-class randori partners, but staying healthy is only part of the challenge. Media interviews, sponsors, federation obligations and the expectations of a home audience will all compete for their attention as Baku approaches.
Lausanne makes its World Tour debut
Before Baku, the World Tour has another significant new destination. The Ecole Mont-Olivet Lausanne Grand Slam 2026 will be the first IJF Grand Slam staged in Lausanne, adding Switzerland to the circuit at an important stage of the qualification period.
The event will also have a broader dimension, combining top-level World Tour judo with programmes for deaf judo and adapted judo. A dedicated media team will be in place to support international journalists and maximise coverage of the inaugural edition.
For many athletes, Lausanne and the subsequent Grand Slam in Budapest offer valuable opportunities to compete, accumulate ranking points and refine their preparation before the World Championships.
Riner had hoped to be among them in Switzerland. Instead, the five-time Olympic champion faces a more basic task. Before he can challenge the world's heavyweights again, he has to get his shoulder ready to withstand them.
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