Crnogorac: Faith in sport is desirable

President of the Judo Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Branislav Crnogorac said that no one has the right to prevent anyone from praying to God. In a comment to Patria, he said he personally encourages the practice of faith. For this reason, he also rejects accusations that he influenced the disciplinary measure of the Judo Federation in the case of minor judoka M. H. and Karim Hebib.

The Disciplinary Commission of the Judo Federation of BiH issued a suspended sentence for judoka M. H. (14) lasting one year, and a three-year ban from coaching for his coach and father Karim Hebib.

The explanation of the Disciplinary Commission states that M. H. after a victory at a competition in Bihać in April this year „shouted a religious cry and with the edge of his hand passed over his neck, associating with slaughter“.

M. H. was punished with a suspended sentence of one year. Therefore, during this period he must not violate the rules of the Judo Federation, while his coach was punished with a ban from performing the function of coach for a period of three years. The reports against Hebib were submitted by the Bihać judo club and the Judo Federation from RS.

Karim and M. Hebib submitted the entire case to the Municipal Court in Sarajevo. They are proving that they did not violate the rules of judo. „Edge over the neck“, they claim, is a legal sports greeting that can be seen daily on TV screens. The expression of faith after a victory should also not be an obstacle for athletes. The court temporarily suspended the decision of the Disciplinary Commission of the Judo Federation until the conclusion of the proceedings.

- As for the religious cry - that is not a problem. The problem is the gesticulation where the competitor, after the victory, pulled the edge of his fist over his neck. That in a certain way associated with a threat to life. That is what he was punished for – said Crnogorac.