Bosnia and Herzegovina National Judo Champion Suspended for Praying to God After Victory, Court Overturns Suspension

The Municipal Court in Sarajevo has prohibited the Judo Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina from suspending judo coach Karim Hebib and his son, multiple BiH judo champion M. H. (14), reports Patria.

If the Federation does not withdraw its decision, the Court will fine the President of the Judo Federation, Branislav Crnogorac, and block the Federation's accounts and enforce collection, according to the Court's decision.

The Disciplinary Commission of the Judo Federation of BiH suspended the minor M. H. in April this year because he prayed to God after winning a competition in Bihać.

Hebib is a multiple national champion of BiH in judo, in two categories; in the U16 and U18 categories.

At the national competition in Bihać in April this year, after winning, he prostrated himself in prayer (prayed to God) and made a gesture across his throat with his index finger.

The leaders of the Judo Federation of BiH considered this a provocation, after which the Disciplinary Commission banned M. H. from competing for the next year, and imposed a two-year coaching ban on his father and coach. Karim was punished because, according to the Judo Federation of BiH, he should have sanctioned Mustafa immediately.

After an appeal filed by Karim Hebib to the Judo Federation of BiH, the Federation further toughened the penalty, increasing Karim's coaching ban from two to three years. For the coach as well as the competitor, this means a big step backward in their careers, and possibly the end of their professional careers.

The entire case ended up in the Municipal Court in Sarajevo in the summer of this year.
At the end of November, the Court suspended the decision of the Judo Federation of BiH, and such a Court decision is in effect until the Court makes a final ruling on this matter.

Karim Hebib believes that M. H. did nothing wrong. A large number of elite athletes thank God before or after competitions, which, he says, can often be seen on TV screens.

Crossing one's finger across their own throat, Hebib said, is also a characteristic of great athletes, which, he warned, could be seen during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this year.

The first hearing in this case is scheduled for Monday, December 12, reports NAP.