The IJF Executive Committee has decided to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in IJF events as individual neutral athletes.

The Executive Committee has decided to engage an independent, reputable company to perform background checks on all the individuals proposed for participation, including social media content, with specific reference to possible war propaganda. Only those athletes and support personnel who are cleared during this verification process will be eligible and considered for participation in events by the IJF Executive Committee.

The qualification for Paris 2024 has already begun, underway since June 2022. With the World Championships - Doha 2023 being held from 7th to 14th May, with significant points to be awarded, this decision allows the possibility for fair participation and equal chances to all judo athletes who are pursuing their Olympic dreams.

The United Nations has long supported the notion that everyone has the right to participate in sport. In 2019, the UN noted that, “all forms of discrimination and prejudice have no place in sport and physical activity” and called on governments to ensure that all citizens are able to compete without restriction.

The International Judo Federation is an inclusive organisation founded on values, dedicated to promoting and protecting judo as a peaceful means of respecting human rights and supporting international unity, friendship and peace. We stand firmly against all forms of aggression, discrimination, war or loss of life. We strongly believe that everyone has the right to participate in sport regardless of ethnicity, religion or gender.

We look forward to celebrating the values of judo together at the 2023 World Championships with all athletes engaged in Olympic qualification for Paris 2024.

Sport is the main bridge for dialogue and reconciliation.

See also
Qingdao GP 2025
Qingdao Made Everyone Smile

28. Sep. 2025 / The third and final day of the Qingdao Grand Prix has ...

Qingdao GP 2025
+100 kg: Mongolia wins the Last Gold Medal in Qingdao

28. Sep. 2025 / The heavyweights have delivered a great to show to ...

Qingdao GP 2025
+78 kg: Hyeonji Lee Shows Her Ability

28. Sep. 2025 / In the final, junior world champion and senior world ...

Qingdao GP 2025
-100 kg: Bilalov Pressures for Gold

28. Sep. 2025 / The -100 kg category has presented spectators with ...

Qingdao GP 2025
-78 kg: A 17th World Judo Tour Gold for Audrey

28. Sep. 2025 / The final was fought between two giants of the category, ...

Qingdao GP 2025
-90 kg: A New Podium Line-Up on the WJT

28. Sep. 2025 / Thirty-two year old Vlad Visan (ROU) has been searching ...

Qingdao GP 2025
Qingdao Grand Prix Preliminaries, Day 3

28. Sep. 2025 / What have we already had the pleasure of enjoying, ...

WJD 2025 PEACE
One Month to Go: Judo is Peace, Unity and Friendship

28. Sep. 2025 / With just one month to go, the global judo family is ...

Athlete Stories
From an Illustrious History, China Now Has a New Heavyweight

28. Sep. 2025 / Jinesinuer Ayiman is only 21 years old and has been ...

WC Juniors 2025
Ones to Watch: 2025 World Championships Juniors

28. Sep. 2025 / In less than a week’s time, the world’s best young ...

Qingdao GP 2025
Peace, Friendship and Unity are the Keywords in Qingdao

27. Sep. 2025 / Day two in Qingdao was marked by an energetic and impressively ...

Qingdao GP 2025
-81 kg: Gold for Hojo and Team Japan

27. Sep. 2025 / The final category of day 2 was unpredictable from ...

Qingdao GP 2025
-70 kg: Gold for Cvetko, a New Era for Madagascar

27. Sep. 2025 / The women’s -70 kg category offered the most expected ...

INTERVIEW EXPRESS
Shishime Ai (JPN)

08. Jun. 2018 / The next reigning world champion to be invited to answer ...

News
5 Key Takeaways from judo’s first Tokyo 2020 qualifier

06. Jun. 2018 / Highlights from Hohhot Grand Prix 2018

VIDEO
Judo for the World in Iran

07. Jun. 2018 / In April 2018, the International Judo Federation and ...

Meeting
JUDO: A Beneficial Cause

07. Jun. 2018 / 'Society should believe in sport as a beneficial cause ...