The organization of the Judo World Cup in Doha on Tuesday removed three spectators for refusing to remove a Russian patriotic emblem from their clothing. The international judo federation IJF reported this to the French press agency on Wednesday AFP confirmed.
It is said to be a Saint George ribbon, a symbol of the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany in 1945. The victory is commemorated annually on May 9 in Russia. The ribbon is also a sign of Russian patriotism.
Eight members of the Russian judo team were previously refused entry to the World Cup because they have ties to the country’s leadership. There were no judokas among the eight.
Russian and Belarusian judokas are welcome under a neutral flag at the Judo World Championships in Qatar. They had previously been banned from international competitions due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February last year.
The IJF thus followed the advice of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This is to give athletes the chance to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The admission of the Russians and Belarusians angered Ukraine, which decided to boycott the tournament at the beginning of this month. The Judo World Cup started on Sunday and will last until next Sunday.
2023-05-10 10:25:54
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