High-performance judo: identification of the organisational factors influencing international sporting success

Research question: As sports are different by nature, can their respective specificities influence their systems? This research offer insight into sport policies and systems at a sport-specific level. Research methods: To identify the organisational factors, we interviewed 33 Olympic judo experts. The study employed content analysis with a deductive-inductive approach and used the Krippendorff's alpha coefficient to verify the reliability. Results and Findings: Despite the historical and cultural characteristics in each sport, and different contexts in different countries, a total of 44 subcategories emerged (organisational factors). They were subsequently clustered into 11 categories that represent a possible systemic model. Implications: In terms of its theoretical contribution, this research enhances the understanding of sport systems at a sport-specific level. In terms of practical implications, the results offer a framework for empirically assessing the development and management of sport systems in the context of judo and in other combat sports.