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Russian athletes will once again compete in taekwondo at the world championships next month, the sport’s governing body said Monday.
The decision by the World Taekwondo governing council could see Ukraine fulfill threats from the government to boycott sports events where athletes from Russia or Belarus take part.
Russia is strong in taekwondo. All four athletes won medals at the Tokyo Olympics, including two golds. Ukraine did not have any athletes qualify.
World Taekwondo leaders met remotely Monday to discuss the International Olympic Committee’s advice from last week to sports bodies that neutral athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus return to competition ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The conditions of neutrality should include, the IOC suggested, no active support for the war in Ukraine and no “contracting with military or national security agencies.”
The taekwondo world championships are scheduled to begin on May 29 in Baku, where Russians and Belarusians can travel more freely without the visa restrictions common in Europe.
Athletes may be prohibited by vetting rules
However, military ties between the Russian team, including several Tokyo Olympic medalists, and the CSKA army sports club could see some athletes banned by World Taekwondo vetting rules.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said 45 of the 71 medals won at the Tokyo Olympics were won by athletes affiliated with the CSKA club.
The review panel will oversee “the verification process to ensure the strict neutrality of participating Individual Neutral Athletes and support personnel,” World Taekwondo said.
“The three-step verification process will involve verification by member national associations and continental unions, followed by individual led confirmation by athletes and support personnel, before final assessment and approval by the Review Committee,” the South Korea-based world. body said.
Russian taekwondo athletes were excluded from the 2022 world championships in Mexico because of the war in Ukraine. He won four medals at the worlds when he was previously held in 2019.
World Taekwondo said it called for peace in the war and pledged to “continue to support Ukrainian athletes to participate in taekwondo events.”
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