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Tag: Judo

  • Putin suspended as honourary president of world judo federation

    Putin suspended as honourary president of world judo federation

    The world judo governing body (IJU) has taken personal action against Russian President Vladimir Putin following the invasion of Ukraine.

    “In light of the ongoing war (conflict) in Ukraine, the International Judo Federation announces the suspension of Mr. Vladimir Putin’s status as Honorary President and Ambassador of the International Judo Federation,” it said in a statement on Sunday.

    Putin is a keen judo player and has reached the level of black belt in the sport.

    Russia has huge influence in judo with IJU president Marius Vizer considered a friend of Putin and the European governing body is led by Russian Sergey Soloveychik.

    Both bodies receive considerable sponsorship from Russia.

    The planned Grand Slam in Kazan in May was cancelled on Friday.

    Russia is becoming increasingly isolated in the sports world but global football governing body FIFA has not yet responded to increasing concern and development regarding the matter.

    Poland and Sweden have said they would not play against Russia in the play-offs for the World Cup in Qatar.

    European football ruling body UEFA has already said matches cannot be played in Russia, or Ukraine.

    Also, it is set to consider the sponsorship deal it has with Russian state firm Gazprom.

    Hans-Joachim Watzke, interim president of the German federation, said it was “dirty money” that “we cannot take any more”.

    Presidential candidate Peter Peters said it was “a clear yes” to ending the cooperation.

    Gazpom sponsor the UEFA Champions League and Euro 2024 in Germany but Schalke 04, a second division side, have already removed their name from their shirts.

    Volleyball is one of the few sports still considering a major event in Russia with the men’s world championships scheduled for August.

    This is under review though, with some nations saying they will not travel to Russia to take part.

  • Tokyo 2020: Algerian judoka sent home after refusing to face Israeli opponent

    Tokyo 2020: Algerian judoka sent home after refusing to face Israeli opponent

    Algerian judoka Fethi Nourine has been suspended from his sport and sent home after choosing to withdraw from the Olympics rather than face an Israeli.

    Nourine was due to up against Israeli Tohar Butbul in the second round of the 73kg division if he got past Mohamed Abdalrasool of Sudan on Monday, but pulled out because of his support for Palestine.

    Nourine said: “We worked a lot to reach the Olympics. But the Palestinian cause is bigger than all of this.”

    The International Judo Federation (IJF) have suspended Nourine and his coach Amar Benikhlef, who had said on Friday: “We were not lucky with the draw. We got an Israeli opponent and that’s why we had to retire. We made the right decision.”

    In a statement the IJF said: “The IJF has a strict non-discrimination policy, promoting solidarity as a key principle, reinforced by the values of judo.”

    Nourine’s withdrawal was ‘in total opposition to the philosophy of the International Judo Federation’, it said.

    The Algerian Olympic Committee withdrew the accreditation for both the athlete and coach and would send them home, applying sanctions accordingly, the IJF said, without further elaboration on the type of sanctions.

    Attempts to reach Nourine for comment were not successful.

    Friday, Nourine told Algerian media that his political support for the Palestinian cause made it impossible for him to compete against Butbul.

    It is not the first time that Nourine has withdrawn from competition to avoid facing an Israeli opponent. He pulled out of the 2019 world championships in Tokyo for the same reason.