The Ukrainian Judo Federation (UJF) said it was withdrawing from the World Judo Championships, due to be held later this month, due to the decision by the world body to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete as neutrals.
The tournament also acts as a qualifying competition for the 2024 Olympic Games.
‘We have decided not to participate in the World Championships,’ the UJF said yesterday.
According to the BBC the International Olympic Committee had recommended that Russians and Belarusians be allowed to compete as neutrals in the tournament, but said that this should not include people who are servicemen and that actively support the war in Ukraine.
However, the Ukrainian judo body said that a number of athletes who will be competing are indeed actual servicemen.
The UJF was quoted as saying: ‘We do not see here neutrality, equal conditions and a “bridge to peace”, as stated in the International Judo Federation Resolution on the participation of Russian and Belarusian teams in the World Championships in Doha.’