Sports

Sports world puts the squeeze on Vladimir Putin after he launches war of aggression against Ukraine

by Charlie Smith on February 27th, 2022 at 8:57 AM
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      The global disgust over Russia's invasion of Ukraine is on display in the response of various sporting organizations.

      The latest development has been the International Judo Federation's decision to suspend Vladimir Putin as its honorary president.

      Putin has a black belt in judo and coauthored a book on the subject.

      "In light of the ongoing war conflict in Ukraine, the International Judo Federation announces the suspension of Mr. Vladimir Putin's status as Honorary President and Ambassador of the International Judo Federation," the IJF said.

      The IJF has also cancelled a 2022 Grand Slam event in Kazan, Russia.

      The news of Putin's suspension came after Poland and Sweden both refused to play Russia in soccer playoffs leading up to the 2022 World Cup, regardless of what FIFA says.

      Sweden is trying to get the entire European Union to impose a sporting ban on Russia as long as the war continues.

      Meanwhile, a Finnish hockey team majority owned by former NHL star Jarri Kurri, Jokerit, has pulled out of this year's Kontinental Hockey League season as a result of the Russian invasion.

      Jokerit was scheduled to play Moscow Spartak in the playoffs. One of Spartak's players is former Vancouver Canuck Jake Virtanen.

      The International Ice Hockey Federation has issued a statement declaring its sadness and concern over what's happened in Ukraine but hasn't taken action yet.

      The IIHF council will hold a meeting on Monday (February 28) to review and consider "the implications of this conflict on our events".

      "The IIHF and its Council condemn the use of military force and urge the use of diplomatic means to solve conflicts," the statement says. "Our thoughts are with the people in Ukraine and the Ukrainian ice hockey family."

      One of the earliest moves against Russia by Formula One, which cancelled the Russian Grand Prix.

      A four-time world champion driver, Sebastian Vettel, was one of several drivers who were planning to boycott the event when the announcement came.

      A Russian tycooon close to Putin, Roman Abramovich, decided to distance himself from controversy by turning over control of his soccer team, Chelsea FC, to the soccer club's charitable foundation.

      Today, the team tweeted an image of the Ukrainian flag after it was slammed in previous days over its connections to a Russian oligarch.

      There's even been a call to cancell the upcoming International Mathematical Congress in St. Petersburg in August. And it came from a brave Russian mathematician, Anatoly Vershik.

      "The President's heinous crime will have many consequences, not only for him and his clique, but, alas, for everyone in the country," Vershik wrote on his Facebok page. 

      According to the Nuremberg Tribunal following the Second Word War, launching a war of aggression against another nation state is the supreme international war crime.

      The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has submitted an application to the International Court of justice to hold Russia accountable for launching an invasion under the pretext that Ukraine was committing genocide against its residents of Russian ancestry.

      "We request an urgent decision ordering Russia to cease military activity now and expect trials to start next week," Zelensky declared.

      Putin has also accused the Ukrainian leadership of being Nazis even though Zelensky is Jewish and lost many family members to the Holocaust.

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