The Ukrainian national team may miss the 2023 World Judo Championship
Ukrainian wrestler, 2020 Olympic champion and MP Jean Beleniuk commented admission of Russian and Belarusian judokas to international competitions and possible non-participation of the Ukrainian team at the 2023 World Judo Championship.
“We cannot ban some of them, and we shamefacedly say that this is a matter of ethics (participation in competitions together with athletes of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus), according to others, we say that everything is not so simple here and the main thing is that there is no face-to-face meeting between the teams, and the third “We prohibit participation in competitions, otherwise there will be appropriate sanctions, including law enforcement agencies.”
“It should not be! This only harms Ukrainian sports and Ukrainian athletes! The state authorities cannot have any doubts about the patriotic position of our athletes. Everyone knows how our athletes, along with weapons in their hands, defend our territorial integrity.”
“Obviously, such government decisions that create different conditions for different categories of athletes do not and cannot find understanding. Athletes have a logical question: why? And there is no answer. In my opinion, this situation poses a threat to the present and future of Ukrainian sports.”
“If state authorities do not have legal grounds to prohibit all athletes, including professional ones, from competing with athletes from Russia or participating in international sports competitions to which Russian athletes are allowed, then it is necessary to lift such a ban and give the right to all athletes and sports federations to decide independently – to participate in such competitions or not. Including taking into account ethical issues.
The International Judo Federation (IJF) allowed athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under a neutral flag at international competitions under its auspices.
Earlier, the Ukrainian judo team named the squad for the 2023 World Championships in Doha (Qatar). According to the head coach of the national team Vitaliy Dubrova, there is still a possibility of a boycott of this tournament by the Ukrainian team. This will happen on the condition that judokas from Russia are admitted to the tournament. The 2023 World Judo Championship will run from May 7 to 14.
Source: Sportarena
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