Christian Olympian suspended for 5 months after making Sign of the Cross at Paris Olympics

(LifeSiteNews) — A Christian judo Olympian has been punished after making the sign of the cross at the Paris Olympics.

According to the International Judo Federation’s Disciplinary Commission (IJF), Serbian judo world champion Nemanja Majdov has been suspended for five months after making the Sign of the Cross while entering the ring during a July 31 Olympic tournament.

“Before I am an athlete, I am an Orthodox Christian,” Majdov told the commission, quoting Serbian tennis champion Novak Djokovic.

He added that to him, God is “bigger than any sport and any job. God gave me everything in my life, I won lot of big titles, and l am thankful to Him.”

Majdov explained that he prayed before entering the ring to give himself the confidence “to overcome all things” during the match. He added that he did not mean for his action to be disrespectful or provocative for anyone.

Majdov’s letter also fearlessly took aim at the “very satanic and out of control” blasphemous Olympics opening ceremony, which mocked the Last Supper.

Regardless of his appeal, the IJF determined to punish Majdov, citing instances in 2018 and 2022 when he had been warned about breaking this rule.

Following their statement, Majdov expressed sorrow over his suspension but declared that he would never apologize for making the sign of the cross.

“I’m sorry that such a beautiful and difficult sport like judo has fallen to such things,” he wrote in an Instagram post.

“The Lord has given me everything, both for me personally and for my career, and he is number one for me and I am proud of that. And that will not change under any circumstances. Glory to Him and thanks for everything,” he continued.

Since their decision, the IJF has received considerable backlash, leading them to issue a follow-up statement on September 18, claiming that Majdov was only punished to maintain neutrality among athletes.

“Our rules regarding the display of religious or other signs is strictly related to the field of play, which is a space dedicated exclusively for judo and where only the judo specific signs and rules are on display, equally for all. The IJF does not forbid the practice of religions or religious signs outside the field of play, as we continue to respect the individual freedom of each member of our community,” the IJF said.

However, the claim that the IJF did not directly target Christians comes after the Paris Olympics opening ceremony directly blasphemed the Last Supper. Following backlash over the event, the International Olympic Committee apologized if “anyone was offended” by the blasphemous opening ceremony.

Indeed, with the suspension of Majdov, sanctions on other Christian athletes, and the opening ceremony, the Paris Olympics has become notorious as one of the most anti-Christian events in recent times.