International Judo Federation Lets Russians Compete, Ukraine Reacts with Protest
Despite Russia's aggressive actions against Ukraine, the International Judo Federation (IJF) has decided to allow Russian athletes to compete under their national flag again, prompting a sharp reaction from the Ukrainian Judo Federation.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to Politico and the Ukrainian Judo Federation.
The International Judo Federation has announced that Russian athletes will be able to compete under their flag, with their anthem and national colors.
The Federation emphasized that Russia's return to world tournaments, including the 2025 Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi, “will enrich competition at all levels” and is in line with the principles of inclusiveness, fairness, and respect.
At the same time, the decision was made against the backdrop of hints at normalizing relations with Russian athletes after restrictions were imposed following the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Judo Federation has strongly protested against this decision.
“This decision constitutes a blatant violation of the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee and makes judo the first sport to openly disregard them,” the statement said.
The Ukrainian Judo Federation noted that its citizens, including athletes, coaches, volunteers, and children, are dying every day. Therefore, the call for “inclusiveness” towards representatives of the aggressor country, many of whom publicly supported the war against Ukraine, creates a major ethical and moral problem.
This decision effectively legitimizes the aggressor country in the international sports arena and contradicts the principles of fairness and safety on which sport should be based.
The Federation called on international organizations to take into account the current aggressive policy of the Russian Federation and not to allow it to use sport as a platform for political legitimization.
Ukraine previously announced that it would not participate in the 2025 World Judo Championships in Budapest due to the International Judo Federation's (IJF) decision to allow Belarusian athletes to compete under their national symbols. The IJF's decision that came into force on June 1, 2025, contradicts the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee regarding the participation of athletes from aggressor countries.
In its official statement, the Ukrainian Judo Federation condemned the decision, stressing that allowing athletes from an aggressor country to compete under their national symbols is a disregard for the victims of war and international law.
This is not the first time Ukraine has boycotted the World Judo Championships. In 2023, the national team also did not participate due to the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes under neutral status.
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