The decision of the International Judo Federation (IJF) to allow Russian athletes to compete under their country's flag came as a complete surprise to the Latvian Judo Federation (LDžF), said LETA president of LDžF Vsevolod Zelēns.
On Thursday, the IJF allowed Russian athletes to participate in international competitions using state attributes — flag, anthem, and emblem. The participation of Russian athletes will be possible starting with the 'Grand Slam' tournament in Abu Dhabi this coming weekend.
"This is completely unexpected. We didn’t even think about it because there was no information that such a decision could be made," said Zelēns. "It’s a very bad situation. Moreover, we already have competitions planned for this year."
He noted that Latvian judokas are already at the competition venues — both at the 'Grand Slam' stage in the UAE and at the European Cup stage for juniors in the Slovenian city of Maribor.
"We can’t change anything, but regarding competitions next year, we will have to consult with the Latvian Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Education and Science, and other partners," added Zelēns.
According to him, the LDžF has several options for the future. "One of them is to participate only in those competitions where Russian athletes do not compete, but that is expensive," said Zelēns.
The 'Grand Slam' tournament in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, will start on Friday and conclude on Sunday.
At the European Cup stage for juniors in Maribor, judokas will compete on Saturday and Sunday.
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