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Judo's governing body gives green light to Russian athletes in Rio

The International Judo Federation is the latest to allow the sport's Russian squad to compete at ...



Judo's governing body give...
Golf

Judo's governing body gives green light to Russian athletes in Rio

The International Judo Federation is the latest to allow the sport's Russian squad to compete at the Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee has left it up individual world governing bodies to decide if Russian teams can go to Rio.

It comes after a report found a state-sponsored programme of doping in the country.

Russian head of state Vladimir Putin is honorary president of the International Judo Federation.

Russian track and field and canoeing teams have so far been banned.

Tennis have allowed Russian players to take part, but swimming's world governing body barred seven athletes from the country from taking part in Rio.

In a statement, International Judo Federation president Marius L. Vizer said: "We support all these clean athletes and we hope that they will be present in the Olympic Games of Rio de Janeiro 2016. From a Judo perspective, the presence of Russian athletes is very important, as the Russian Judo Federation is a prominent member of the International Judo Federation, with a notable contribution to the development of judo, Russian judo playing a great role in the history of our sport.

"We believe that the Olympic Games should give a message of unity and solidarity, to all the athletes and all the people of the world. We hope that by allowing participation of Russian athletes in Rio 2016, we will send out a positive message to all the young people who deserve to be given examples of friendship instead of examples of Cold War."

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