France’s Judo Leader on Russian Participation in Paris 2024 Olympics

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The president of the French Judo Federation, Stephane Nomi, has spoken about the possibility of Russian judokas competing at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. He emphasized respect for the decisions made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and noted broad support within the sporting community for allowing athletes from all nations to take part. Nomi framed the issue as a way to keep the Olympic program inclusive, stressing that the goal is to ensure that athletes from every corner of the world have a chance to participate and that no country should bear an undue burden of exclusion. The sentiment he shared reflects a belief in a global judo family that values participation and fair competition.

According to Nomi, the sport’s governing bodies should maintain a spirit of openness while balancing safety and fairness. He pointed out that judo has long fostered international collaboration and mutual respect, and he hopes that this ethos will guide decisions about who competes in Paris. The idea is not only about competition; it is about the cultural connection that the Olympic tournament represents, bringing together athletes, coaches, and fans from diverse backgrounds under a shared banner of sport.

The timing of these discussions aligns with recent actions by the International Judo Federation (IJF). At the end of April, the IJF announced that athletes from Russia and Belarus could participate in international events under a neutral status, subject to certain conditions. In practice, this means that competitors can enter events without representing their home countries in the traditional sense, provided they meet the established criteria and do not demonstrate support for hostilities. In Doha, a World Championship event, 17 Russian judokas competed under these neutral guidelines after undergoing background checks designed to assess evaluation of political stances and affiliations. The move underscores a trend toward separating sport from political conflict while preserving the integrity of competition.

Earlier in the year, the IOC’s executive committee discussed the same theme. A meeting held on March 28 concluded with a recommendation that Russian athletes could participate as neutrals, so long as they are not actively involved in any actions that support hostilities. The guidance also stated that individuals associated with law enforcement or armed forces would be ineligible to compete when representing a neutral status. The intention behind these conditions is to maintain fairness on the field of play while avoiding the endorsement of any ongoing conflict through the Olympic platform.

There has been coverage of individual performances affected by these broader policy discussions. For instance, Arman Adamyan, a Russian judoka, had previously reported success at the World Championships in Doha, earning gold in his event. Such outcomes illustrate the high level of competition present at the championships and highlight how the neutral-status framework can allow athletes to compete on the world stage even amid sensitive geopolitical contexts. The ongoing dialogue among international federations and the IOC continues to shape how events at the 2024 Paris Games will unfold for athletes from Russia and other nations affected by these policies.

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