IJF Reinstates Russian Flag for Judo Events in 2025

The International Judo Federation announced on Thursday that Russian athletes may once again compete under their national flag, anthem, and insignia at international events, marking the first such reinstatement by an Olympic sport governing body since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The decision, approved by the IJF Executive Committee, takes effect at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam, scheduled for November 28 to 30. Previously, Russian and Belarusian athletes faced widespread suspensions from global competitions following the invasion, with many federations imposing bans or requiring participation as neutrals without national symbols. The IJF initially barred athletes from both nations in September 2022, extending the prohibition until early 2023 before allowing limited neutral entries. In June, the federation reinstated full national representation for Belarusian athletes, citing the need to treat all members equally under the Olympic Charter's principles of non-discrimination.

The IJF emphasized that the move upholds judo's core values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, solidarity, and peace. "Athletes have no responsibility for the decisions of governments or...