The International Judo Federation (IJF) allows Russians to participate in its competitions under a neutral banner on Wednesday, without mentioning Belarusians, thus refusing the outright banishment decreed by much of the sporting world.
“We believe that athletes involved in international sporting events promote peace and international solidarity”argues the IFJ on Wednesday in a statement as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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In the eyes of the judo body, “the blanket decision to sanction all Russian athletes, regardless of the different opinions that many have expressed, is not considered justified”.
Responding to the appeal launched on Monday by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to international federations, asking them to exclude the Russians and Belarusians, the IJF considers that such a decision “would only continue the escalation of violence and fuel the feeling of injustice for these athletes, who have not participated in any decision regarding the conflict”.
“We cannot condemn the athletes for what is happening,” cuts the organization, thus authorizing the Russians to participate in its tournaments “only under the IJF flag, logo and anthem”.
The International Federation, on the other hand, canceled all the competitions planned on Russian soil, and on Sunday suspended the status of honorary president of the body of Vladimir Putin, of which judo is the fetish sport.
World judo thus joins the position of tennis, swimming and fencing, which allow Russian sportsmen under a neutral banner, unlike football, athletics, ice hockey, rugby, badminton, skating , canoeing, alpine skiing and handball, which excluded them from their competitions.
As the Paralympic Winter Games open Friday in Beijing, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) initially authorized the participation under neutral banner of Russians and Belarusians, before changing its mind Thursday in the face of boycott threats , the reactions of different federations and the tensions in the athletes’ village.
