Modern judo is definitely a sport first, and self defense second at best.
Modern judo is definitely a sport first, and self defense second at best. Judo was organized with two primary forms of training: randori (free play) and kata (forms). Relatively safe techniques were practiced in randori with full speed and force while striking was relegated to kata. Even in kata, however, the striking elements are represented in caricature form; they represent an abstraction of how one should deal with strikes telegraphed well in advance, and you should not be under any delusions that judo kata trains for performing strikes. In modern judo, it's not really until the dan-ranks (black belt) that some judo players start worrying about kata anyway. Even then, mostly no one cares if you are a kata champion, but people care if you are a competition champion.