The International Judo Federation (IJF) has announced that only athletes who work at the Federal Training Sport Center of Russia’s representative teams or have no known connection to or opinion on the Russian invasion of Ukraine will be allowed to participate in the World Judo Championships 2023 and other IJF competitions.The IJF promised to keep a close eye on the situation and carry out additional inquiries to guarantee that all athletes are competing with integrity and in compliance with the sport’s regulations and judo principles.The International Judo Federation (IJF) has announced that eight Russian participants have been barred from the World Judo Championships in Doha due to concerns about their support for the war in Ukraine. The IJF conducted background checks to ensure that all participants were eligible to compete.The IJF’s Executive Committee obtained a list of potential participants and conducted independent background checks on them to verify their workplace and any pro-war propaganda on their social media accounts.The International Judo Federation (IJF) declared that eight members of the delegation seeking to participate as independent athletes in the competition held in Qatar were denied entry after undergoing extensive background checks.On April 29, the IJF Executive Committee made a choice to allow judoka from Russia and Belarus to participate in the World Championships as individual neutral athletes. The event is set to take place from May 7 to 14.The IJF justified their rejection of the members by stating that it aligned with their regulations, guidelines, and dedication to equitable competition.
