To facilitate the best possible application of the category combining policy, it will be used when a category has a small number of entries and will be held on the same day.  

Athletes that wish to remain uncontested may do so. Exhibition matches will not be offered to them. They will receive their medal and the appropriate points.

When divisions are combined the athlete will receive the placing points earned in the combine division towards their original division. ie: an athlete signs up for M1 73kg. He is combined with M2 73 kg to form a 3-man group. He placed third in the combined division. He will receive the third-place points in his M1 73kg division.

A technical official from USA Judo, representing the host organization, will be responsible for operating the category combining policy. This policy applies to all weight categories within all age divisions.  Category combining may only be applied to categories where there are less than three entrants. If category combining cannot be achieved safely and according to the guidelines, then a pool of two (2) elimination system may be considered. The best of three contests between the two (2) athletes is, if the result is 2-0 then the third contest will not be fought.

• Combining within the same age division - athletes should remain within their age division if possible.
• Combining with different age division – See Age Divisions guide below.
• Combining using weight categories – athletes should only be combined with other athletes who are no more than one weight category lighter or one weight category heavier. Special consideration should be given to the actual weight differences when dealing with the lightest and the heaviest female and male categories (as a guideline a maximum of 10 kg actual difference when combining the lightest weight category and a maximum of 20 kg actual difference when combining the heaviest weight category should be considered as a limit unless there are other compensatory factors such as experience etc.). Weight should be the primary consideration when moving athletes about within their own age division or combining them with other age divisions in accordance with the guidelines below.

Age Divisions:

• Athletes in age divisions M7 or F7 and above (M8/F8 and M9/F9) may only be combined with other athletes who are no more than one age division higher or more than one age division lower i.e., athletes in M7/F7 may only be combined with athletes from M6/F6 or M8/F8.
• Athletes in divisions M6 or F6 may be combined with athletes who are no more than one age division higher or two age divisions lower. i.e., M7/F7, M5/F5 and M4/F4.
• Athletes in divisions M5 or F5 may be combined with athletes who are no more than one age division above or two age divisions below i.e., M6/F6, M4/F4 and M3/F3.
• Athletes in divisions M4 or F4 may be combined with athletes who are no more than two age divisions above or two age divisions below i.e., M5/F5, M6/F6, M3/F3 and M2/F2.
• Athletes in divisions M3 or F3 may be combined with athletes no more than two age divisions above or two age divisions below i.e., M4/F4, M5/F5, M1/F1 and M2/F2.
• Athletes in age divisions M2 or F2 may only be combined with athletes who are two age divisions above and one age division below i.e., M3/F3, M4/F4 and M1/F1.
• Athletes in age divisions M1 or F1 may only be combined with athletes in two age divisions above i.e., M2/F2 and M3/F3.