World Judo Championship boycotted by Ukrainian players, Athletes from Ukraine will not compete in this month’s World Judo Championships in Qatar because they are worried about Russian and Belarusian competitors.
The International Judo Federation (IJF) has decided to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete as neutrals in the World Judo Championships, a decision that will allow judokas from those countries to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games. I will be able to attend.
World Judo Championship boycotted by Ukrainian players
The Ukrainian Judo Federation announced their choice to not compete at the World Championships.
Last month, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) proposed allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral flag, but the committee has yet to make a decision on Paris 2024.
A few days ago, the International Canoe Federation said that athletes from Russia and Belarus who do not support their state’s actions in Ukraine can compete as neutrals.
The UJF asserted that many of the Russian judokas signed up for the World Judo Championships, which take place May 7–14, are “active servicemen.”
According to the IJF decision on the participation of the Russian and Belarusian teams at the world championships in Doha, “we do not see neutrality, equal conditions, and ‘bridges to peace’ here,” the UJF declared.
“We perceive a conclusion that goes against the most recent IOC guidelines in this case. We are unhappy with the International Judo Federation’s decision.
The IJF said it had enlisted an independent company to conduct background checks on Russian and Belarusian athletes with “specific reference to possible war propaganda”.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the IJF removed Russian President Vladimir Putin as honorary president and canceled the Grand Slam event in Kazan, Russia.
On Saturday, the International Canoe Federation said Russian and Belarusian athletes “who are not in support of their state’s actions in Ukraine” could return to the competition as neutrals.
