MOSCOW, May 13. /TASS/. The European Judo Union supports the decision by the International Judo Federation (IJF) to allow 20 neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in Olympic qualifications in preparations for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, the EJU’s press service said.
"We want to emphasize the following: European Judo Union backs up the decision, that 20 individual neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus will keep their Olympic qualification chance at the World Championships in Doha (QAT)," its statement reads. "We are fully in line with IJF. The status quo for EJU tournaments will be adapted accordingly," it quoted EJU President Laszlo Toth as saying.
In September 2022, the IJF Executive Committee ruled to suspend the participation of all athletes from Russia and Belarus in international judo tournaments supervised by the IJF. On April 29, the committee made a decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral status. According to the IJF, "this decision allows the possibility for fair participation and equal chances to all judo athletes who are pursuing their Olympic dreams.".