MADRID, 1 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The International Taekwondo Federation announced Tuesday that it has withdrawn Russian President Vladimir Putin’s honorary black belt in response to the Russian offensive in Ukraine.
“The International Taekwondo Federation strongly condemns the brutal attacks against innocent lives in Ukraine, which go against its motto ‘Peace is more valuable than victory’ and its values of respect and tolerance. In this regard, it has decided to withdraw the 9th degree honorary black belt awarded to Mr. Vladimir Putin in November 2013,” he confirmed in a statement.
In addition, following the advice of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), he reported that “Russian or Belarusian flags and national anthems will not be displayed or played” in international competitions, penalizing Russia’s aggression and Belarus’s support in the war.
“The International Taekwondo Federation and the European Taekwondo Union will not organize or recognize taekwondo tournaments in Russia and Belarus. Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine and we look forward to a peaceful and immediate end to this war,” he added.
Last Sunday, the International Judo Federation suspended Putin, an enthusiastic judo practitioner who holds the level of black belt in the sport, as honorary president and ambassador of the organization.