As confirmed by the All Japan Judo Federation immediately after the publication, the article is simply untrue. The IJF expresses its deep disappointment with the dissemination of this inaccurate and harmful information and condemns the irresponsible journalism involved.
The judo community values transparency and we encourage the media to verify facts with official sources before publishing any sensitive or potentially damaging information. False articles like this one cause unnecessary concern.
We ask that all media outlets refrain from spreading unverified rumours and we urge Diamondsport to remove the article immediately and issue a public correction.
For any official updates or information, please refer to our official channels or contact our media relations team.