The Ukrainian Judo Federation announced on Monday May 1 that it would not send a delegation to the World Judo Championships in Qatar from May 7 to 14 due to the presence of Russian and Belarusian judokas. The Ukrainian federation claims that some of these judokas are also active soldiers. The International Judo Federation (IJF) gave the green light on Sunday to the presence of Russians and Belarusians at these world championships on the condition that they do so individually and as neutral athletes. But the Ukrainian federation said on Monday that “the majority of the Russian team is made up of sportsmen who are active soldiers in the army of the Russian federation which attacked Ukraine on February 24, 2022” and who “continues to wage a brutal war against our territory”. “More than 250 Ukrainian athletes have given their lives to defend the country and among them judokas”, indicates the Ukrainian federation, adding: “we see neither neutrality nor equal treatment, no more than a ‘bridge for peace” as the international federation says in its resolution on the participation of Russians and Belarusians in the world championships in Doha”. “In addition, we consider that this decision contradicts the latest recommendations of the International Olympic Committee of March 28, 2023 saying that a neutral athlete status can only be granted to those who are not military”, adds the Ukrainian federation. .
rf-5-general
Judo: Ukraine withdraws from Worlds to protest against the presence of Russians and Belarusians
