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HONG KONG (AFP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin had his honorary black belt in taekwondo revoked by the game’s worldwide governing physique on Tuesday, over his nation’s invasion of Ukraine.
As Russian troops amass exterior Kyiv, and lots of of 1000’s of Ukrainian refugees flee into neighbouring international locations, world leaders have heaped punishing financial sanctions on Putin and his closest allies, in addition to Russian-linked companies.
The sporting world has had the same response: Russia was booted out of qualifying for this 12 months’s soccer World Cup, and the Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) has urged federations to exclude athletes from Russia, in addition to from its ally Belarus.
World Taekwondo, which governs worldwide federations for the game, was the newest to sentence Putin, saying Tuesday that Moscow’s actions went in opposition to the game’s imaginative and prescient: “Peace is extra treasured than triumph.”
“On this regard, World Taekwondo has determined to withdraw the honorary ninth dan black belt conferred to Mr Vladimir Putin in November 2013,” the Seoul-based physique stated in an official assertion.
It added that official taekwondo occasions wouldn’t be organised in Russia or Belarus.
In step with the IOC’s urging, the flags and anthems of each international locations may even not be displayed or performed at taekwondo occasions around the globe.
“World Taekwondo’s ideas are with the individuals of Ukraine and we hope for a peaceable and quick finish to this battle,” it stated.
Putin doesn’t truly do taekwondo, however is as an alternative completed in judo, one other martial artwork, and has lengthy served as an honorary president to the Worldwide Judo Federation.
On Sunday the IJF suspended his standing as honorary president and ambassador to the game.
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