Martin Rivers Retires from International Refereeing
January 05, 2026
Martin Rivers has decided to retire from his duties as an International Referee and as a NRC commission member.
British Judo marks the retirement of Martin Rivers from his roles as an International Referee and a member of the National Refereeing Commission (NRC), bringing to a close a remarkable chapter of service to the sport.
Martin’s judo journey began at the age of 10, after discovering the sport at a school activity event. He soon joined Kin Ryu Judo Club, where his commitment and passion flourished. Today, Martin remains a central figure at the club as one of its senior coaches, continuing to inspire the next generation of young judoka and aspiring referees.
His refereeing pathway is equally exceptional. Martin joined the junior refereeing scheme at just 12 years old and went on to make history as the first member of the British Judo Association to progress through the entire junior refereeing pathway and ultimately qualify as an International Judo Federation International Referee.
In 2018, Martin was awarded the prestigious IJF International Award at the Madrid Open, a milestone that reflected his expertise and standing within the international judo community. From that point, he proudly represented Great Britain at numerous European events, as well as officiating at two World Veterans Championships: Morocco in 2019 and Portugal in 2021.
Among the highlights of his career, Martin served as a technical official at the London 2012 Olympic Games and the 2014 Commonwealth Games, demonstrating the highest standards of professionalism on some of the world’s biggest sporting stages.
Judo is truly a family passion for Martin, which he shares with his wife, Lisa, who is herself a World Tour referee.
Alongside his international duties, Martin has played a vital role in developing referees at home. As a Refereeing Tutor and Examiner, he has prepared officials across most levels of the refereeing structure, a contribution that remains critical to British Judo’s ability to nurture and sustain future generations of referees.
The NRC would also like to place on record its sincere thanks to Martin for his valued service and commitment as a member of the Refereeing Commission.
