While some of his former protégés were earning money around the world in music halls, challenging all-comers to fight for prize money, Kano made no effort to instigate judo as an international sport. Indeed, there are numerous quotes from the founder indicating that he did not at any stage regard his art as a sport: “Judo is the way to the most effective use of both physical and spiritual strength. By training you in attacks and defences it refines your body and your soul and helps you make the spiritual essence of judo a part of your very being. In this way you are able to perfect yourself
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