International Judo Federation made a heavy decision recently – to cancel two events in light of lack of response from the countries ensuring sportsmanship treatment of Israeli athletes.

Last year, the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam was criticized for refusing to display Israel’s flag for the country’s athletes and for not playing the Israeli national anthem.
In the end UAE apologize. However this year IJF addressed the concerns early.

According to a judoinside report:

Prior to this decision and after carefully analyzing the past situations involving the denial of participation in equal conditions of all IJF member federations – with their national insignia and anthem at the aforementioned events, and after repeated past interventions, the IJF officially requested the two organizers to provide a letter of guarantee signed by the government that all IJF member nations would have the right to participate in their events in equal conditions. The International Judo Federation is aware that the situation and incidents registered are due to a complex and complicated political and historical context, but we strongly believe that politics should not have any interference in sports and that sports should be a reflection of human respect, understanding and mutual cooperation and that sports, as one of the highest expressions of humanity, should have the power to overcome any other conflict of interest. As no positive answer was received to date, although past the given deadline, the International Judo Federation’s Executive Committee decided to suspend both the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam and the Tunis Grand Prix until governmental guarantee is given to ensure free and equal participation of all nations at the said events.

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