Iran Judo Federation suspended until September 2023

The IJF Disciplinary Commission pronounced against the Iran Judo Federation a provisional withdrawal of its status as IJF member and all its affiliated components for four (4) years, from 18 September 2019 until 17 September 2023. The International Judo Federation continues to defend the fundamental human values and rights of all its members, with a special emphasis on the rights of athletes and reiterates its commitment to fight against any form of discrimination in the sport of Judo.

Iran was given a four-year ban by the International Judo Federation (IJF) for “repeated and very severe breaches” of the organisation’s statutes after it pressured one of its fighters not to face an Israeli athlete.

The IJF imposed the ban after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last month lifted a previous indefinite suspension and ordered a disciplinary review. The IJF had previously sanctioned Iran in October for putting pressure on fighter Saeid Mollaei to withdraw from the world championships to avoid a potential final round against Israeli contender Sagi Muki.

“The Disciplinary Commission considers that the status of IJF member of IRIJF should be provisionally withdrawn for a period of four years, i.e. a full Olympiad,” the IJF said.

Iran’s highest seeded athlete is Mohammad Mohammadi placed 48 at the IJF World Ranking. He took world bronze at the 2018 World Championships in Baku in this Olympic cycle. Mohammadi Barimanlou also claimed a bronze medal at the Grand Prix in Hohhot in 2017 and captured bronze at the Grand Prix in Antalya in 2018. He was fifth at this year's Asian Oceania Championships in Bishkek in April.