Ukrainian judo star Lytvynenko will now represent the UAE: reason for the change

Ukrainian judo star Yelyzaveta Lytvynenko has decided to change her citizenship. She will now represent the UAE at international competitions, reports Glavkom. In 2022, Lytvynenko won a bronze medal at the World Championships, and last year she reached the quarter-finals of the Olympic Games.

Boycott in the world of judo: negative consequences for Ukrainian athletes

As a result of the boycott of international judo tournaments initiated by the Judo Federation of Ukraine, leading Ukrainian athletes found themselves outside the biggest sporting events. The reason for this decision was the admission of athletes from Belarus with their national symbols by the International Judo Federation, which led Ukraine to decide not to participate in tournaments alongside Russian and Belarusian athletes who officially represent their country.

This decision has led several promising Ukrainian judokas to switch to representing other countries. To date, Ilaria Tsurkan and Ihor Tsurkan have joined the Slovenian national team, earning prize places in various international competitions.

Ukrainian athletes are forced to seek other options for participation in international competitions due to the boycott initiated by the Judo Federation of Ukraine, which has resulted in the loss of opportunities to participate in promising competitions at the global level.