BUDAPEST, June 29, 2020 - During the weekend, racist inscriptions were discovered on three photos of French athletes adorning the fence surrounding the National Institute of Sport, Exercise and Performance (INSEP) located in Paris. It is a special place, hosting the top athletes from French teams.
The public establishment, which immediately noted this outrage, condemned these acts with force and will file a complaint with the police. Among the vandalised photos stands that of Teddy Riner, ten times World Champion and double Olympic Champion.
The International Judo Federation and the whole judo family stands up with determination to condemn these cowardly acts, vile and in total opposition to the values of mutual aid and welfare advocated by the moral code of judo.
Racism in any form has no place in sport or society. It goes against all the humanist values we promote in order to allow the development of a more just world. It is essential to combat racism, and fight for it all together.
It is disturbing to see that in 2020, when the world needs unity and mutual support more than ever, even more during this difficult time with the Pandemic situation, these discriminatory beliefs continue to foster hatred. The IJF would like to emphasise here that it supports athletes from all over the world and from all sports, without any form of discrimination, and that it will continue to use all its know-how to combat racism.
