Belgrade, September 18, 2024
Serbian Orthodox judoka Nemanja Majdov received a five-month suspension from the International Judo Federation (IJF) for making the Sign of the Cross before a match in the recent Summer Olympics.
Such religious gestures violate the IJF Code of Ethics. The suspension bars Majdov, a 2023 European Champion and 2024 World Championship runner-up, from all judo events and preparations. The decision comes after two previous warnings in 2018 and 2022, reports JudoInside.com.
Majdov, a devout believer, refused to apologize for his actions. In an Instagram post, he affirmed his unwavering faith, attributing his personal and professional success to God. He views this suspension as a new challenge in his career.
While expressing disappointment over the state of judo, Majdov remains proud of his achievements, including seven European and three World medals. He plans to use the suspension period for rest before returning to competition with renewed energy and faith.
This incident raises questions about how the IJF might handle similar religious gestures by other athletes, such as Georgian Lasha Bekauri. Majdov’s case follows recent suspensions of judokas Tara Babulfath and Guram Tushishvili for related issues.
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