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The International Judo Federation (IJF) has rejected eight names in the delegation proposed by Russia to participate under a neutral banner in the 2023 World Championships in Doha, Qatar (May 7-13), a presence which provoked the Ukrainian boycott. The IJF agreed to reintegrate under neutral banner and under conditions of neutrality, the Russian and Belarusian athletes, following a recommendation of the International Olympic Committee. The International Judo Federation has received a list of participants and has ” conducted independent background screening of athletes and delegates “. Only sportsmen employees at the Federal Sports Training Center “and sportsmen” for which no information has been identified suggesting support or opinions on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine were allowed to participate in the 2023 Worlds, the IJF said. On the website of the International Judo Federation dedicated to the 2023 Worlds, twenty “neutral individual athletes” (10 men and 10 women, Russian or Belarusian) appear among the participants in the Worlds, including the 2021 heavyweight world vice-champion ( +100 kg), Tamerlan Bashaev, Teddy Riner’s faller at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The Ukrainian Judo Federation announced on Monday its withdrawal from the 2023 Worlds, due to the presence of Russian and Belarusian athletes. The double world champion (2018 and 2019) of -48 kg Daria Bilodid will not be in Doha.
