- Fears that anyone who seeks solace in religion could be persecuted
- The reason given is a violation of the competition protocol for the demonstration of religious beliefs
- Well-known athletes, including Novak Djokovic and Vladimir Grbić have supported Majdov
Fears that anyone who seeks solace in religion could be persecuted
Serbian athlete Nemanja Majdov has been banned from training and competing for some time because he crossed himself before his fight at the Paris Olympics. He announced the disqualification on his social networks:
"I have been suspended from all tournaments, meetings and training. I don't want to apologise for blessing myself and I certainly won't do it. I didn't know that this would be the punishment. God has given me everything, both personally and for my career; he is my number one and I am proud of that. And that will not change under any circumstances. I praise Him and thank Him for everything", the athlete stated. Perhaps most worrying for the latter is that anyone who seeks solace in faith may also be persecuted. The athlete is now banned from all sporting activities for the next five months.
During his illustrious judo career, Nemanja Majdov won 7 medals at the European Championships and 3 more at the World Championships. The only medal missing from his collection is believed to be an Olympic medal, which he was denied in Paris by the giant Theodoros Tselidis, who took him out of the fight early. Indeed, the Serbian judoka was the favorite for gold, and his exclusion not only confirmed the Greek athlete's worth but also shocked him and his countrymen[1].
However, almost a month after the end of the Olympic Games, the shock was even greater for the 28-year-old athlete, who the International Judo Federation announced that he is suspended from all activities (competitions, training camps, preparation) for almost six months. Majdov's behavior is allegedly considered a violation of the competition protocol for demonstrating religious beliefs.
The International Judo Federation (IJF) has a very strict competition protocol on conduct, which explicitly prohibits any action related to politics or religion from the moment an athlete enters a competition.
The reason given is a violation of the competition protocol for the demonstration of religious beliefs
Despite Majdov's statements, he was said to be well aware of the rules, having been briefed on them long before the Olympics.
The experienced judoka, who comes from the Serbian part of Bosnia, did not experience the civil war but grew up feeling its strong effects and never hid his faith, always doing the same thing at every match he attended: burning the cross on himself. It is said that when he traveled to Paris, he knew he would be punished for a third breach of protocol. Nevertheless, there are questions as to what really happened[2].
Anyway, the Serbian athlete made it clear that he would not change his position even when he returned to the line-up. This was also evident in the letter he sent to the International Federation, in which he did not apologize, sticking to his opinion that he had done nothing wrong. In his letter to the International Federation, Majdov explained:
"Fifteen days ago I received notification that the IJF had banned me from the sport for 5 months for violating their religious codes, specifically for crossing myself when entering the Olympic Games. I have been banned from all tournaments, camps and preparatory competitions. I do not want to apologize for all this in my letter, but I really did not think how severe the punishment could be. God has given me everything, both in my personal life and in my career, and for me He is number one and I am proud of that. That will not change under any circumstances. I will always praise Him and thank Him. For me personally, nothing new, just a new chapter in my career and a new life experience. But it is sad that a sport as beautiful and challenging as judo has come to this. God gave me a great career, 7 European and 3 World medals. When I started, I dreamed of winning at least one of these important medals, to make my family proud, who sacrificed everything for my career. <...> I will rest until my suspension is over and then, with the help of our Lord, I will return to start again with new victories. I love you all, Nemanja Majdov."
B. Majdov concluded his interview by expressing his love for his fans, calling himself European and World Champion.
Well-known athletes, including Novak Djokovic and Vladimir Grbić have supported Majdov
Majdov, who firmly believes in God, was given a five-month disqualification following two previous warnings for the same reason on 10 April 2018 and 24 February 2022. This religious gesture is prohibited under Article 3 of the IJF Code of Ethics. Other judo practitioners, such as Georgian Lasha Bekauri, are known to make similar gestures. It remains to be seen whether they will also receive warnings or suspensions.
According to the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, the world is witnessing more than 110 international conflicts, regardless of their nature, most related to politics, religion and ethical considerations.
The IJF has 205 national federations, each representing a different country or recognized territory, and must ensure that the playing field is dedicated to judo only and that the rules of the sport are applied without tolerating any form of discrimination or provocation that could affect the performance of the athletes.
However, as soon as this post appeared, the internet lit up, with Serbian athletes, both retired and active, expressing their support one after the other, including Novak Djokovic, Olympic volleyball champion Vladimir Grbić, Olympiacos volleyball star Bata Atanasijevic, Maroussi basketball player Radulovic, and international teammates. At the same time, the Serbian media has reported unprecedented religious persecution.
It has become clear that Majdov will not stop giving thanks to God, which raises the question of whether the International Federation will continue to take this position.
