Russian President Vladimir Putin lost his senior most position in the world of sports, after he ordered an attack on Ukraine, when the International Judo Federation suspended him.
The Judo Federation have suspended Putin’s honorary president status.
“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,” the Judo Federation said in a statement.
The Russian president is a keen judoka and had attended the sport during the 2012 London Olympics.
The IJF is rare among Olympic sports bodies for using the word “war” to describe Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ordered by Putin on Thursday. Others have used phrases such as “escalation of conflict.”
A Kremlin-supporting oligarch and long time friend of Putin, Arkady Rotenberg, however still remains on the IJF’s Executive Committee as “development manager.”
Meanwhile, on Sunday, FIFA also said that Russia will have to play their World Cup qualifiers on neutral ground under the name the Football Union of Russia without their flag and anthem. Several nations have categorically announced that they refuse to play Russia, including England and Wales, as well as Poland, the Czech Republic and Sweden.
(With AP Inputs)
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