Chechen Leader Criticizes UAE SWAT Challenge Judging
The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, voiced Strong critique of the judging at the UAE SWAT Challenge 2024. The event, an international competition for special forces units, took place in Dubai from February 3 to February 7. The focus of the controversy was the treatment of a top team during the contest and what Kadyrov described as unprofessional refereeing.
According to Kadyrov, the Akhmat team from the Chechen Republic’s Ministry of Internal Affairs finished among the top three teams. They were forced to withdraw on the final day of the competition due to what he called biased refereeing. He asserted that a referee failed to acknowledge a team member’s result during a timed exercise and refused to review the video evidence. Such actions, he argued, erode trust in the refereeing process and raise serious questions within the team. He suggested that had the exercise been judged fairly, the Akhmat unit might have set a new record.
Kadyrov made clear that he did not intend to contest the final standings. He also urged the organizers to thoroughly verify the qualifications and integrity of the jury members to prevent further doubt about the judging process.
Official results later showed the Akhmat team placing eighth in the overall competition. Earlier in the Dubai event, Ramzan Kadyrov’s son, Adam Kadyrov, received a medal within the special forces team competition. The coverage notes the involvement of the Grozny football club Terek, now referred to as Akhmat, in the life and activities surrounding the team and leadership. These remarks reflect ongoing attention to the competition and the leadership’s stance on fairness and accountability in elite military sporting events. [Source: competition coverage and official results]