The IJF declared that they would hire a trustworthy and independent company to conduct background checks on all athletes proposed for participation, allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete. However, the IJF has not disclosed any information regarding the process of conducting these background checks or if they intend to adhere to the IOC’s recommendations of excluding athletes with military connections. (Note: The IJF has since announced that 8 Russian competitors were rejected after failing their background checks.)
Articles on the web that are related to the topic.Ukraine expressed concern over the participation of Russian judoka in international competitions due to their direct links to the Russian military, which invaded Ukraine last year. The International Olympic Committee initially recommended a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, but later allowed them to compete under a neutral flag as long as they had no ties to their country’s military. However, five of the 20 Russian and Belarusian athletes competing in the World Judo Championships were found to be part of the Central Sports Club of the Army, with four holding the rank of staff sergeant.
