The International Judo Federation (IJF) has apologized for a refereeing error in favor of Teddy Riner, finally crowned at the expense of the Russian under neutral flag Inal Tasoev, in the heavyweight final at the World Championships in Doha on Saturday , in a statement released Wednesday. The action in question took place in the golden score, the extension after the regulation four minutes of combat, where the first to score wins. If she had been taken into account, she would have offered world gold to Tasoev.
“The IJF Refereeing Commission deeply apologizes”
“In the +100 kg final, between Teddy Riner and Inal Tasoev, there was an action where neither the referee on the mat nor the IJF Refereeing Commission awarded a point. Teddy’s attack Riner was blocked and countered by Inal Tasoev. The decision was to continue the fight, without counting the counterattack”, explains the IJF.
“After the competition, taking into consideration the current refereeing rules and the opinion of judo experts, we estimate that a point for Tasoev’s counter-attack could be awarded”, she continues, before apologize. “The IJF Arbitration Commission deeply apologizes for its decision and informs that this type of action will be counted in the future, in accordance with the rules in force”, she underlines.
World champion for the 11th time
During the fight, the Russian under neutral flag, arms raised and fists clenched, also thought for a moment that he had won, when Riner, on the ground, waved his finger no. The double Olympic champion (2012 and 2016) ended up winning a little later, by waza-ari. Riner (34) was crowned world champion for the eleventh time (nine in +100 kg, two in all categories) in Qatar, six years after his last two titles.