Christian judo champion suspended 5 months for making sign of the cross at the Olympics — refuses to apologize
World champion judo competitor Nemanja Majdov was suspended for five months by an international governing body for making the sign of the cross before a match at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Majdov is a devout Christian who makes no apologies about his faith and apparently violated the International Judo Federation’s rules when he crossed himself on July 31, 2024, at the Paris games.
A video posted to X showed the 28-year-old walking while in prayer in a packed arena.
‘The Lord has given me everything, both for me personally and for my career.’
The IJF clarified its suspension in a statement posted on its website:
Majdov “was charged for, ‘Having shown a clear religious sign when entering the field of play and having refused to bow to his opponent at the end of the contest,’ which is a violation of the IJF Code of Ethics,” the organization wrote.
“The athlete was warned by letter in April 2018 and again in February 2022, about behaviour that was contrary to the IJF [Sport and Organisation Rules],” the statement added.
Majdov made a lengthy statement regarding the incident on his Instagram page, where he often posts content related to his faith.
“15 days ago I received a decision that I was suspended for 5 months by the World Judo Federation (IJF) for violating their religious codes. More precisely, because of baptism when entering a match at the Olympic Games.”
“I was banned from participating in all tournaments, camps and preparations,” Majdov continued.
The judo practitioner then explained that not only did he “not want to apologize for the baptism” but that he will never apologize.
“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 added.
The IJF stated that its rules are meant to “protect the ethical values and moral principles” of the sport while ensuring competitions are “dedicated exclusively for judo and where only the judo specific signs and rules are on display, equally for all.”
Photo by Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images
At the same time, the organization said it “respects and appreciates” all cultures, nationalities, religions, and orientations. Using language typically associated with diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, the IJF claimed it has a duty to all of its “stakeholders” to make sure they feel “respected and accepted” at all events.
Majdov was the 2017 world champion, the 2023 European champion, and has a total of five gold medals at international tournaments.
He said his latest suspension was “nothing new” for him but rather a “new page” in his career and life.
“I’m sorry that such a beautiful and difficult sport like judo has fallen to such things,” he told his fans.
“God gave me a great career. … We will rest [during the suspension], and then we will return with the help of our Lord Jesus Christ to a new beginning and new victories.”
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