Paris France /
Russian President Vladimir Putin was suspended as honorary president of the International Judo Federation (IJF, for its acronym in English) after the invasion launched against Ukraine, the sports entity announced.
“Due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the International Judo Federation announced the suspension of Vladimir Putin’s status as honorary president and international ambassador of the Judo Federation,” the IJF said in a statement.
An accomplished judoka – he is 8th dan, one of the highest ranks in the discipline – the Russian President displays his sporting character and has often promoted a healthy lifestyle.
His image contrasts sharply with that of his predecessor Boris Yeltsin, who was known for his drinking.
On Sunday, on the fourth day of the offensive in Ukraine launched by Putin, the battle for control of Kiev, the capital, continued.
On Saturday, Western powers announced new sanctions to isolate Russia from world markets, including excluding Russian banks from the Swift interbank connection system.
In addition, some of them announced the delivery of additional weapons to Ukraine.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to have significant consequences in professional sports, with competitions cancelled, refusals to face Russia, athletes declared persona non grata and sponsorships up in the air.
