LAUSANNE (Switzerland) – The international federation of Judowho suspended the Russian leader from the post of honorary president Vladimir Putin, has officially announced that Russian athletes will be able to continue competing at all levels, but as neutral athletes, therefore without flag and national anthem. On the other hand, no measures were taken against the representatives of the Belarus. Below is the press release. “The global decision to sanction all Russian athletes – it is written in the note -, regardless of the different opinions they may express, does not appear justified, because we cannot condemn the athletes for what is happening. Their exclusion would only fuel the escalation of violence and the feeling of injustice in those who would be forced not to compete. The athletes did not participate in any decision regarding the conflict “. The world of judo has therefore not accepted the invitation of That is to exclude from competitions and from the organization of sporting events, Russia and Belarus, and aligns with what has already been decided by tennis, swimming and fencing, which authorized the Russians to compete as – precisely – ‘neutral athletes’. In contrast, football, athletics, ice hockey, rugby, badminton, skating, canoeing, alpine skiing and handball have joined the international Olympic committee’s invitation and banned Russia. For now, the world volleyball body, Fivb, has limited itself to excluding Russia from the men’s World Cup which it was supposed to host between 26 August and 11 September.
