Oates competed for Team GB in the 2012 London Olympics in the men's 66 kg judo event. After victories over Australia's Ivo dos Santos and former World Champion Khashbaataryn Tsagaanbaatar Oates was beaten in the quarter finals by the eventual gold medallist, Lasha Shavdatuashvili from Georgia, being pinned for 15 seconds during "golden score" overtime. He lost again in the repêchage to Cho Jun-Ho of South Korea, who went on to win the bronze medal.