An Olympic athlete has been suspended from international judo competitions for five months after making the sign of the cross during the Paris Games. Making the sign of the cross is a violation of the rules of judo. According to the International Judo Federation, Serbian athlete Nemanja Maidov will be suspended for five months by the International Judo Federation for violating at least two rules during his competition in Paris. The violations were 1) making a “clearly religious sign” when entering the competition area and not bowing to his opponent, and 2) removing his judo uniform during the competition.
Specifically, Maidov made the sign of the cross before the bout. Maidov, who lost in the round of 16 and is ranked third in his weight class, made the sign of the cross before the bout. New York Post.
He said he had no regrets.
“The Lord has given me everything personally and professionally and to me He is number one and I am proud of that,” he wrote on social media, “and that will never change no matter what the circumstances. Glory to the Lord and thanks for everything.”
He won a gold medal at the 2023 European Judo Championships. He also competed in the 2020 Olympic Games.
“God gave me a great career, seven medals at European Championships and three medals at World Championships. When I started, I dreamed of winning at least one big medal and succeeding in my life and in the life of my family, who sacrificed everything for my career,” Maidov said. “God gave us so much more.”
The International Judo Federation defended the suspension, saying Maidov had been warned after making the sign of the cross in an earlier match.
Serbian judoka Nemanja Maidov has been disqualified for five months after making the Christian cross symbol during a match.
The International Judo Federation had previously given the athlete two warnings for creating Christian symbols to demonstrate his faith in God.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) September 19, 2024
“The IJF Code of Ethics aims to uphold the ethical values and moral principles of our sport. The IJF respects and values equally all cultures, nationalities, religions and orientations of all its members, not just its athletes.” International Jiu-Jitsu Federation “As an international governing body, it is our duty to strive to ensure that all stakeholders, especially athletes, feel respected and accepted at all events and activities. Our rules regarding the display of religious or other signs strictly relate to the competition field. The competition field is a space dedicated to judo, where only judo-specific signs and rules may be displayed equally for all. The IJF does not prohibit the practice of religion or religious signs outside the competition field. We continue to respect the individual freedom of each member of our community.”
The organisation added: “According to the Geneva Academy for International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, there are currently over 110 international conflicts being monitored around the world… Regardless of their nature, these conflicts generally involve political, religious and ethical considerations. With 205 member federations (associate member federations), each representing a different country or recognised territory, it is the IJF's duty to ensure that the playing field is exclusively for judo and governed solely by the rules of our sport. We have zero tolerance for any discrimination or provocation that may affect the performance of our athletes.”
Photo credit: ©YouTube/Jesus is my inspiration
Michael Faust He has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years, and his work has appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, Christian Post, Leaf Chronicle, Toronto Star and Knoxville News Sentinel.
