Athletes from Ukraine refrain from participating in the world judo championships due to the presence of Belarusian competitors under their nation's flag.
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Hey there! Let's talk about some news buzzing in the sports world. Belarusians Aliaksandr Sidoryk, and Yahor Varapayeu are surprisingly back in the game, competing under their national flag in the under 90kg category. It's been quite a while since they represented Belarus, thanks to a ban implemented since the unprovoked Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.
But guess what? The International Judo Federation (IJF) has apparently pulled a U-turn, allowing Belarusian judokas to fly their country's flag starting from June 1, 2022, following a decision made by its Executive Board in mid-May. This move makes the IJF the first international federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to formally welcome back the Belarusian flag.
Initially, the IJF authorized Russian and Belarusian judokas to participate under neutral banners from March to September 2022, following the recommendations of the IOC. However, this decision was later revoked due to the same recommendations.
On March 28, 2023, the IOC recommended international federations to allow athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports to participate under neutral banners, maintaining a ban on team competitions. So, what's going on here? Is the IJF not in the loop?
Interestingly, Ukraine boycotted the 2023 World Judo Championships due to a decree from the Ukrainian Ministry of Sports, prohibiting athletes from participating in competitions featuring Russians or Belarusians. However, this decree has now been amended to only apply to "athletes representing the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus," allowing them to compete against athletes under a neutral banner.
For the 2025 World Judo Championships in Budapest, no Ukrainians are on the entry list, and Russian judokas are competing under a neutral banner. When asked about the return of the Belarusian flag and the Ukrainian boycott, the IOC did not respond immediately.
The IJF's decision contradicts the ongoing recommendations of the IOC, which have been consistent since the end of March 2023. This contrast in decisions has sparked controversy in the sports community, with the Ukrainian Judo Federation strongly opposing this move.
Sources:[1] "Belarusian judokas cleared to compete under national flag." AFP, 2025.[2] "IJF authorises Belarusian judokas to compete under national flag." National Olympic Committee of Belarus, 2025.[3] "Belarusian athletes to compete under neutral banner?" Sports Gazette, 2023.[4] "Ukraine boycotts World Judo Championships over Belarusian participation." Judo Inside, 2025.[5] "IOC calls for Russian, Belarusian athletes to compete under neutral banners." AFP, 2023.
- Despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes, the International Judo Federation (IJF) has allowed Belarusian judokas to compete under their national flag, starting from June 2022, a decision that contradicts the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
- Incongruously, Ukraine initially boycotted the 2023 World Judo Championships due to the inclusion of Belarusian athletes, but later amended their decree to allow them to compete under a neutral banner.
- The IOC, on the other hand, has consistently recommended that athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports compete under neutral banners, maintaining a ban on team competitions.
- The recent change in the IJF's decision regarding Belarusian judokas has sparked controversy in the international sports community, with the Ukrainian Judo Federation strongly opposing this move.
