FILE PHOTO: Judo – World Judo Championships – Combined Groups – Bronze Medal Contest – Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan – September 1, 2019 Russia pose as they have a good time profitable their blended groups bronze medal contest. REUTERS/Issei Kato
BERLIN – Russian and Belarusian judokas can participate as neutrals at this month’s world championships in Doha, the Worldwide Judo Federation (IJF) mentioned, prompting Ukraine to drag out of the Might 7-14 occasion in protest.
Ukraine has barred its nationwide sports activities groups from competing in occasions that embody opponents from Russia and Belarus whereas Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues.
“The Government Committee of the IJF has voted to allow impartial athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part within the World Judo Championships 2023 in Doha, Qatar, as Particular person Impartial Athletes (AIN),” the IJF mentioned in a press release on Tuesday.
The Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) final month really helpful that athletes from the 2 nations be allowed to return to worldwide competitors as neutrals, which means they compete below a impartial flag with no emblem or anthem.
Athletes should not have hyperlinks to the Russian army or have made pro-war statements.
The IJF Government Committee mentioned it had acquired an inventory of proposed Russian and Belarusian contributors and commissioned impartial background checks on the athletes and delegates and any social media interactions relating to pro-war propaganda.
“We attempt to make sure that all athletes, no matter their nationality or background, have the chance to compete on a degree taking part in discipline, with out discrimination,” the IJF mentioned.
It had mentioned final week that it might let athletes from Russia and Belarus participate within the championships, saying that may allow them to take part in qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Video games in Paris.
The Ukrainian federation alleged on its web site that lots of the Russian judoka registered for the championships are from the military.
“Nearly all of the workforce are athletes who’re lively servicemen of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, a part of the military that attacked Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022 and remains to be waging a brutal full-scale conflict on our territory, which is shelling Ukrainian cities and civilian houses daily, destroying peaceable residents, youngsters.”
Following Russia’s invasion, during which Belarus was a staging space for some Russian troops, the IJF stripped Russian President Vladimir Putin of his honorary presidency and canceled a Grand Slam occasion within the Russian metropolis of Kazan.
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