The International Judo Federation (IJF) has become the inaugural sports body to fully reinstate Russian athletes.
The International Judo Federation (IJF) has restored Russian athletes’ right to compete in international tournaments under their national flag, making it the first Olympic sport federation to do so.
Athletes from Russia and Belarus were prohibited from major sporting events after the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022. Nearly all Olympic-sport federations implemented bans or severe limitations across dozens of disciplines, sidelining hundreds of competitors globally. Later, participation was partially resumed, permitting selected athletes to compete individually as neutrals.
In a statement released on Thursday, the IJF announced that its executive committee voted to permit Russian athletes to once again compete under their national flag, complete “with anthem and insignia,” commencing at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam. The federation stated that this decision “reaffirms its role as a genuinely global organization” and “reinforces its dedication to fair, transparent, and values-based governance.”
“Historically, Russia has been a prominent nation in world judo, and their complete return is anticipated to enhance competition at all levels while upholding the IJF’s tenets of fairness, inclusivity, and respect,” the IJF commented.
The organization further stated that “sport must maintain neutrality, independence, and freedom from political influence,” emphasizing that judo “consistently promotes friendship, respect, solidarity, and peace.”
This makes the IJF the inaugural Olympic sport federation to permit Russian athletes to re-enter international competition complete with their national flag and anthem.
Russian sports continue to face sanctions, although limitations have been eased in certain sectors. While numerous summer sports federations now allow neutral Russian athletes to participate in world championships, the majority of prominent winter sports organizations uphold a complete prohibition. As a result, only a few Russian athletes across a handful of winter disciplines have currently qualified for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games.
Russian officials have consistently accused Western nations of politicizing sport and exerting pressure on federations to bar their athletes. The Russian Sports Ministry reported that Russia missed 186 international sporting events, including 36 major tournaments, in 2022 and 2023 alone due to these sanctions.
Kirsty Coventry, President of the International Olympic Committee, recently called upon governments and event organizers to guarantee equitable access for all athletes and to uphold sport as a politically neutral arena. She emphasized that every qualified competitor should be able to participate free from discrimination. She implored host nations to “guarantee access for all,” characterizing sport as a “beacon of hope” and a “neutral ground.”