eight representatives of the delegation proposed by Russia dismissed due to the criteria of neutrality

2023-05-02 19:09:57

French judoka Teddy Riner (in blue) and Russian Tamerlan Bashaev during the quarter-finals of the + 100 kg during the Tokyo Olympics, at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, July 30, 2021. JACK GUEZ / AFP

Eight names rejected. The International Judo Federation (IJF) announced on Tuesday 2 May that eight members of the delegation proposed by Russia to participate, under a neutral banner, in the World Judo Championships in Doha, Qatar, from 7 to 13 May, could not take part in the competition.

At issue: these eight people did not meet the conditions of neutrality issued by the International Olympic Committee (IOC); the IJF having agreed to reintegrate Russian and Belarusian athletes into its tournaments, following the recommendations of the IOC.

According to the IJF, only athletes “Employees at the Federal Sports Training Center” and those “for which no information has been identified suggesting support or views on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine” were allowed to participate in the 2023 Worlds.

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“After thorough examination, eight members of the delegation [proposée par la Russie] were rejected”added the body, without specifying whether they are judokas, or any other member of the delegation (coaches, doctors, physiotherapists, etc.).

Boycott of Ukraine

On the IJF website dedicated to the competition, twenty “neutral individual athletes” – ten men and ten women, Russians or Belarusians – appear among the participants, including the 2021 world heavyweight vice-champion (+ 100 kg), Tamerlan Bashaev, who fell Frenchman Teddy Riner at the Tokyo Olympics, or the champion of the world 2021 – 60 kg, Yago Abuladze, registered in the category – 66 kg in Doha.

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The Ukrainian Judo Federation announced on Monday its withdrawal from the Worlds, due to the presence of athletes from both countries, believing that several of them had links with the army. The double world champion (2018 and 2019) of – 48 kg, Daria Bilodid, will not be there in Qatar.

The World with AFP