France's Marie-Eve Gahié, the 2019 world champion in the women's under-70 kilograms division, is the subject of the first film with more due to follow in the coming weeks.

According to the IJF, the series is aimed at finding out who star judokas "really are".

In her video, Gahié opens the door to her home and family and explains how judo occupies her life.

"They are champions, great champions, heroes in your country and role models for society," the IJF said.

"But do you really know them? 

"Have you wondered what motivates them, where they come from and how they live?

"The International Judo Federation is launching a new series of documentary films: 'I am Judo'.

"The aim is to answer these questions. 

"Behind the armour of the judoka there are men and women who often decided in childhood to live a different life, a life devoted to training and to the search for performance.

 "They train for hours and hours. 

"They suffer and make choices that not everyone can make. 

"They are, nonetheless, human beings with big hearts, brothers and sisters, friends. 

"Some have children. 

"Yet even if they spend an immeasurable time on the tatami and in the gym, they have a life next to judo."

The IJF already releases films as part of the "Judo for the World" series, which explores how the sport is practiced around the planet.