In his illustrious judo career, Nemanja Majdov has won 7 medals in European championships and another three in world championships.

The only thing missing from his collection was an Olympic medal, which was denied to him in Paris by the giant Theodoros Tselidis, who eliminated him early on. The Serbian judoka was the favorite for the gold, and his elimination, aside from confirming the value of the Greek athlete, was a shock for him and his compatriots…

However, almost a month after the conclusion of the Olympic Games, the shock became even greater for the 28-year-old athlete, who was informed by the International Judo Federation that he is being suspended for five months from all activities (competitions, training camps, preparation) because he made the Sign of the Cross before and after the match with Tselidis in Paris. The justification was a violation of the competition protocol regarding the display of religious beliefs.

The IJF (International Judo Federation) now has a very strict competition protocol regarding behavior, and it explicitly forbids any action related to politics or religion from the moment an athlete appears to compete.

Majdov was aware of this, and long before the Olympic Games, he had participated in two international tournaments where, both before entering and after leaving the competition area, he made the Sign of the Cross, receiving two warnings from the International Federation. You see, the experienced judoka comes from the Serbian part of Bosnia, as he was born in Istočno, a small town near Sarajevo. His hometown is directly across from Sarajevo, and as a child, he was puzzled by the dividing line that separated the Bosnian part of the country from the Serbian part.

Majdov did not experience the civil war, but he grew up feeling its intense aftermath and never hid his faith, always making the Sign of the Cross in every match he participated in. And when he traveled to Paris, he knew that a third violation of the protocol would result in a punishment, which indeed happened, as he himself reported regarding the development.

However, beyond the news of his punishment, the Serbian athlete made it clear that, regardless of the consequences he has to face, he will not change his stance even after his return to action. This was also evident in the letter he sent to the International Federation, where he simply did not apologize, as he believes he did nothing wrong.

Here is Nemanja Majdov’s post in detail:

“Fifteen days ago, I received notice that I have been banned for 5 months by the International Judo Federation (IJF) due to a violation of their religious codes. Specifically, for making the Sign of the Cross as I entered the competition at the Olympic Games.

I was prohibited from participating in all tournaments, camps, and preparations.

The truth is, in my letter to the disciplinary committee, I did not want to apologize for making the Sign of the Cross, and I stated that I did not apologize and never will, even though I did not know how severe the punishment could be.

God has given me everything, both in my personal life and in my career, and for me, He is number one, and I am proud of that. This will not change under any circumstances. I will always praise Him and thank Him.

Nothing new for me personally, just a new chapter in my career and a new life experience. However, I am sad that such a beautiful and challenging sport like judo has come to this.

God has granted me a great career, with 7 European and 3 world medals. When I started, I dreamed of winning even just one of these major medals and making myself and my family proud, a family that sacrificed everything for my career. They gave me so much, went into debt to get me here, and I simply cannot bow my head to such a demand.

I will rest until my suspension ends, and then I will return with the help of our Lord for a fresh start and new victories. I love you all, Nemanja Majdov.”

As soon as this post appeared, the internet caught fire, with Serbian athletes (both retired and active) one after another expressing their support (among them Novak Djokovic, Olympic volleyball champion Vladimir Grbić, Olympiacos volleyball star Bata Atanasijević, and Maroussi basketball player Radulović), as well as international teammates. At the same time, Serbian media referred to an unprecedented prosecution due to religious beliefs.

Majdov stats that he will not stop making the Sign of the Cross and thanking God and the question is whether the International Federation will continue with this hardline stance, which no one knows where it might lead…