Russian judoists banned from participating in international competitions until January 2023

World Championship in Tashkent will be held without domestic leaders

Russian athletes will not compete at the World Judo Championships, which will be held from 6 to 13 October in Tashkent. The Executive Committee of the International Judo Federation nevertheless decided not to allow Russia and Belarus until January 2023.

We rejoiced and cited the IJF as an example to everyone else: we were not afraid, we did not go in an obedient crowd along with all kinds of sports. Yes, in February the International Judo Federation canceled all tournaments in Russia and did not allow our athletes to compete under the Russian flag. But the opportunity to compete remained: on March 2, the International Judo Federation announced that Russian athletes would be able to compete under the flag of the organization. The national team was admitted to the tatami in a neutral status.

“Today, September 21, 2022, the Executive Committee of the International Judo Federation has decided, given the current international circumstances and in order to ensure the protection of all athletes in judo, not to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in international judo competitions until January 2023”, – officially informs the IJF website.

This decision means that our athletes miss the World Championship in Tashkent. Last year, Russian judokas, who competed at the tournament under a neutral flag, took fifth place.

Over the past few months, the international federation has been under pressure from various sides, demanding to deprive our athletes of their neutral status as well. The IJF responded with official statements: “Any drastic decision to prevent athletes from competing in sports will only increase the sense of injustice and we cannot blame athletes for what is happening.” And she referred to the Olympic Charter and its fundamental principles.

The summer Grand Slam tournament in Ulaanbaatar, where a part of our team appeared, made me very happy. Russian judoists took first place in the medal standings, scored qualifying points for participation in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The first step towards an Olympic license has been taken.

But two weeks before the tournament in Mongolia, the IJF again had to confirm the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to the start, emphasizing in an official statement that discrimination against a neutral athlete is a violation of human rights.

It was a response to the statements of Ukrainian functionaries. Before the start of the tournament, the head of the NOC of Ukraine Serhiy Bubka sent a protest to the International Judo Federation. One of the well-known judokas, Georgy Zantaraya, decided to express his disagreement loudly: if Russian athletes are allowed to compete in Mongolia, he will give up all titles and the title of world champion. And on the day of the start of the Grand Slam tournament, the Judo Federation of Ukraine on the official website announced its decision not to take part in tournaments under the auspices of the International Judo Federation until the IJF forbids Russians and Belarusians to compete – in any status.

Then the international federation did not give up. And officials, such as, for example, IJF General Director Vlad Marinescu, admitted that the Russian team showed a very strong result. And they said: it would be great to see the national team at such a high level at the World Championships in the fall.

The IJF executive committee made a decision to ban the performance of our and Belarusian athletes today. And yet, unlike other international federations, judo again showed character, without getting off with an indistinct phrase that “the ban is valid until further notice.” Named a specific month – January 2023.