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A Serbian athlete who made the sign of the cross at the Paris Olympics one day after the opening ceremony of the games mocked Christianity has been punished for his action.
Judo star Nemanja Majdov says he is not the least bit apologetic despite being banned from competing for five months by the International Judo Federation.
Prior to his match against Theodoros Tselidis of Greece on July 31, Majdov made the sign of the cross, according to the New York Post. Majdov lost the match.
Majdov, who was the world’s third-ranked judoka in his weight class at the time of his ban, won a gold medal at the European Judo Championships in 2023 and a silver medal this year.
In a translation of his Instagram post, he said he “did not want to apologize,” adding that “of course I did not, nor will I ever, although I did not even know what the punishment could be.”
“I was banned from participating in all tournaments, camps and preparations,” he wrote.
“The Lord has given me everything, both for me personally and for my career, and he is number 1 for me and I am proud of that. And that will not change under any circumstances. Glory to Him and thanks for everything,” he wrote.
He called the ban “ a new page in my career and a new life experience.”
“I’m sorry that such a beautiful and difficult sport like judo has fallen to such things,” he wrote.
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Majdov added that “God gave me a great career.”
The Serbian star said he would rest during his suspension and then “ we will return with the help of our Lord Jesus Christ to a new beginning and new victories.”
The International Judo Federation posted its logic on its website. It noted that Majdov had been warned in April 2018 and February 2022 after breaking its rules that he would be punished if another incident took place.
The federation noted that in addition to making the sign of the cross, Majdov did not bow to his opponent after the match and removed his uniform against the rules.
“The IJF respects and appreciates equally all cultures, nationalities, religions and orientations of all its members, including but not limited to athletes,” it wrote.
“Our rules regarding the display of religious or other signs is strictly related to the field of play, which is a space dedicated exclusively for judo and where only the judo specific signs and rules are on display, equally for all,”
The federation said that it “does not forbid the practice of religions or religious signs outside the field of play, as we continue to respect the individual freedom of each member of our community.
“With 205-member national federations, each representing a different country or recognized territory (associate members), it is the duty of the IJF to ensure that the field of play is reserved for judo and governed exclusively by the rules of our sport,” the statement said.
“We have zero tolerance for any form of discrimination or provocation that may impact our athletes’ performance,” the federation wrote.
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