Ukrainian team pulls out of judo worlds over acceptance of Belarusians and Russians

May 2, BPN. The Ukrainian Judo Federation withdrew the national team’s application for competing in the world judo championships next week.

“This is because on Friday, April 28, the International Judo Federation (IJF) allowed the teams of Russia and Belarus to participate in the world championships as individual, neutral athletes,” it said in a statement yesterday.

The IJF had said it wanted to ensure that “all athletes, regardless of their nationality or background, have the opportunity to compete on a level playing field, without discrimination.” At the same time, athletes are subjected to background checks and should not support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it added.

In March, the International Olympic Committee said that Belarusian and Russian athletes might be admitted to international competitions under a neutral flag on condition that they are not actively involved in supporting military operations and are not linked to the military.

National federations make their own decisions regarding the admission of Russians and Belarusians. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has maintained their disqualification from international tournaments, while World Taekwondo allowed athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete as neutrals.