Repudiation of Putin in his favorite sport: after the suspension in the Judo Federation, one of its leaders dedicated a harsh criticism to him

One of Japan's most distinguished judo personalities harshly criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine by President Vladimir Putin, a personal friend of the Japanese judoka whom he described as a “coward” because of the harshness of his actions.

Yasuhiro Yamashita, president of the All Japan Judo Federation, the country's largest judo association, condemned the Russian invasion and joined the criticism of world personalities against the Russian president.

“President Putin is a judoka and these actions run counter to the spirit and purpose of judo,” Yamashita said.

The complaint of the now retired Olympian came on Monday, when the toll of civilian deaths is at least 1,842, a figure that will inevitably rise because there is still no clear end to this war.

Yamashita has had a friendly relationship with Putin over the years, as they share a passion for judo and the ideals it represents.

However, due to the invasion of Ukraine, the International Judo Federation last month suspended Putin as its honorary president and ambassador. And in February, World Taekwondo stripped Putin of his 9th dan honorary black belt, which had made him Grand Master.

The relationship between the Japanese judoka and the Russian president has led them to share in different spaces and scenarios associated with judo, they even recorded an instructional video together in 2008 entitled: “Let's learn judo with Vladimir Putin”.

“As a judoka, my sadness and deepest thoughts are with the people of Ukraine, as well as with all the judo lovers around the world,” Yamashita added on her personal website.

Judo is one of the many sports played by Putin, who has always maintained a public image of a strong man and athletic leader, who together with hockey has shared the top in the preferences of the Russian president.

In 2000, the leader of the Kremlin visited the prestigious Kodokan Judo Institute in Tokyo, the international headquarters of this sport, where he received the sixth dan of “Kodokan judo”. At the time, Putin said: “When I come to Kodokan, I have a sense of peace as if I were at home,” reported the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun.

He also described the principles of judo, respect for one's partner or opponent, and self-defense, as tips for developing relations between Russia and Japan at a time when both countries sought to cooperate with each other as diplomatic partners.

Putin has indicated that he has good relations with Yamashita, and even described the 1984 Olympian as a “very good man”. With Russia's offensives in Ukraine, Yamashita couldn't say the same thing about her former judoka.

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