It is the first medal for the German Judo Federation at the World Championships in Qatar: Giovanna Scoccimarro wins silver in the weight class up to 70 kilos. On the way to the final, Scoccimarro has to fight against Madina Taimazova. She is one of 19 Russian judoka admitted to the World Federation. But if the World Judo Federation had taken the IOC’s guidelines seriously, Taimazova probably wouldn’t have been allowed to compete.
Because on the website of the army sports club CSKA, she is listed as an officer candidate in the Russian army. Such entries can also be found for eight other Russian judoka, some of whom are said to be officers.
They still fight in Doha. Although the world association IJF has hired a company to check the members of the delegation.
German Judo Federation: “Not satisfactory”
“Well, we haven’t seen any documents ourselves. We received the information that was communicated to the nations in advance by the IJF. Of course, one would like to protect the data protection of each individual and in this respect one does not see oneself in a position to publish further information up to date. This is actually a point that is not entirely satisfactory,” says Frank Doetsch, spokesman for the board of the German Judo Federation.
According to the world association, the company checked social media accounts and sanctions lists, among other things. However, because all Russian judoka presented documents that should show that they are employed at a training center, they were admitted. However, eight members of the delegation were excluded.
No comment from the World Judo Federation
When asked by the world association, Deutschlandfunk did not receive any information as to why the checks were not noticed, which can be found out by googling: that apparently Russian officers are taking part.
At the end of March, IOC President Thomas Bach clearly recommended that no military personnel should be admitted. However, the IOC does not have the capacity to review the background checks of individual sports such as judo, according to an IOC spokesman.
And so the example of judo shows how difficult it is for the associations in world sport to find a way of dealing with this recommendation. Although the IOC suggested that the associations agree on a uniform procedure, this has not happened so far. Here, too, the IOC does not see itself as responsible.
World sport is divided
And so world sport is divided: In athletics, equestrian sports or team sports, Russia is completely excluded. In cycling, wrestling or fencing you want to follow the IOC recommendation.
The fencing association has apparently already carried out initial background checks.
“We have received a list of Russian saber fencers who have been approved by the world federation for international competitions – and it does not contain names known to the sporting world,” the Russian fencing president complained to the state news agency TASS. Olympic champions are among the excluded athletes. The Russian Fencing Federation is now threatening a boycott.
This in turn could allow Ukrainian fencers to participate. At the moment, the Ukrainian government has issued instructions not to take part in any competitions that also include Russians.
The world canoe association is looking for a middle ground
The question of how to deal with Russian athletes also arises in the canoe – in three months the Sprint World Championships will take place in Duisburg. The World Association is trying to find a middle ground: In principle, the World Association wants to allow individual Russian canoeists again.
But the association has included a passage in its decision that could result in exclusion through the back door: If an organizer of an event cannot guarantee security due to Russian participation, the organizers could uninvite the Russians again, says World Association President Thomas Konietzko on Deutschlandfunk Players podcast: “We ask all our hosts to create the conditions for neutral Russians to participate. But if they can’t, if they fear that there will be demonstrations, if they fear that they will have to implement security measures there that they simply cannot afford, then the Russians will not participate and then the Ukrainians can participate.”
Passus comes in handy for the German association
And with a view to the World Championships in Duisburg, the President of the German Canoe Association, Jens Perlwitz, says: The association will not be able to ensure that there are no outside interventions during the races. “We cannot guarantee that this entire large area can be secured in such a way that one can intervene early.”
The passage also suits the German association – from the start they were against the participation of Russia and Belarus.
A performance by Thomas Bach in Essen in March showed what kind of protests there can be. At that time, around 200 people demonstrated against re-admission.
2023-05-13 16:25:55
#Sports #federations #dealing #IOC #recommendation
