The International Judo Federation (IJF) has suspended Russian President Vladimir Putin as honorary president in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the sport’s governing body stated on Sunday.
“In view of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the International Judo Federation announces the suspension of Mr. Vladimir Putin’s role as Honorary President and Ambassador of the International Judo Federation,” read a statement from the IJF.
Putin, a black belt judoka who was given an eighth dan in 2014, one of the sport’s highest levels, has served as honorary president since 2008.
The 69-year-old judo blackbelt is an avid practitioner of the discipline and co-authored “Judo: History, Theory, Practice.”
Meanwhile, the governments of Poland and Sweden have announced that they will not play Russia in the 2022 World Cup play-offs, in the hopes of persuading their 27 European Union allies to impose a blanket sporting boycott.
