The Ukrainian national team will not compete at the World Junior Judo Championship due to the admission of Russians
The Ukrainian national team decided to boycott the World Junior Judo Championship. About this on Facebook (banned in Russia; belongs to the company Meta, which is recognized as extremist and banned in the Russian Federation) said the President of the Judo Federation of Ukraine Mikhail Koshlyak.
The team refused to participate in the tournament, which will be held in Odivelas, Portugal from October 4 to 7, due to the admission of Russians to it. “Judo teaches us to respect our opponent and demonstrate this respect on the tatami, but in our realities this is impossible. This whole story with “neutral” athletes is just some kind of fake, because the entire civilized world understands that Russian athletes are hiding under “neutrality,” Koshlyak shared.
The return of Russian judokas to tournaments became known on April 29. The International Judo Federation (IJF) said it opposes discrimination in the sport.
Russians have been banned from international competitions since September 2022. The IJF Executive Committee explained this decision by the need to ensure the safety of all athletes.
Source: Lenta
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