WA group of spectators at the Judo World Championships in Doha/Qatar were thrown out of the hall for wearing Russian military emblems. This was announced by the Judo World Federation IJF on Wednesday. Those affected had not previously followed the request to remove their badges, the IJF told the AFP news agency.
Three spectators wore the Saint George ribbon. In Russia, this expresses, among other things, solidarity and proximity to the armed forces. The ribbon is also seen by many Ukrainians as a symbol of Russian aggression. The striped ribbon is banned in some European countries.
Ukrainian politician and Olympic wrestling champion Shan Belenyuk posted a photo of spectators with the ribbon on Telegram, saying: “’Sport has nothing to do with politics,’ says this Russian-born family who owns a St. George’s ribbon on his chest and cheering on ‘neutral’ athletes at the World Judo Championships in Qatar.”
Olympic speed skating champion and Duma deputy Svetlana Zhurova criticized the publication of the photo to the Russian news agency TASS, because otherwise the organizers would not have noticed the ribbon: “The decision of the organizers of the world judo championships, fans with St. George’s ribbons Banning clothing from the stands is a consequence of the provocative actions of the Ukrainian side.” These only serve the purpose of further isolating Russia.
Following a recommendation by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the world association had admitted Russian and Belarusian judoka as neutral athletes again at the World Championships, despite the ongoing Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. They had to pass a background check for this. The check included reviewing social media interactions regarding pro-Russian war propaganda. Among the accredited Russian judoka are several athletes with ties to the Russian Armed Forces – including those who compete in military championships. However, the Russian martial artists have to compete at the World Cup without a national flag and anthem.
Eight members of the Russian delegation were expelled on Sunday, but none of them male or female athletes. IJF Director General Vlad Marinescu explained that they are “support staff, trainers, heads of delegations”. Marinescu “regrets” the fact that the Ukrainian team is boycotting the World Cup because of the Russian players’ admission. He justified the opening for activists from Russia and Belarus with the IOC specification from March. The approval decision was taken unanimously.
For the German fighters, the fights in the class up to 81 kilograms ended in disappointment again: Timo Cavelius failed in the third round at the Japanese Olympic champion Takanori Nagase, for Dominic Ressel it was already over after the first fight against Victor Sterpu (Macedonia). Cavelius first won against the Czech Adam Kopecky and thus ensured the first victory of a German World Cup starter in the men’s field on the fourth day of the fight. The 26-year-old also defeated the Brazilian Guilherme Schmidt before losing to Nagase. “We are not satisfied with the result,” said sporting director Hartmut Paulat the day before. Maximilian Standke (up to 60kg), Martin Setz and Lennart Slamberger (up to 66) and Alexander Gabler (up to 73) each lost their opening battle.
