Olympian Suspended After Making Sign of Cross: God ‘Is Number One’
By Movieguide® Contributor
During the 2024 Paris Olympics, Christian judo champion Nemanja Majdov made a sign of the cross while competing. He’s now been suspended from competing for that action.
“The International Judo Federation has suspended Serbian judo world champion Nemanja Majdov, 28, for five months for actions including making the sign of the cross at this year’s Olympic Games in Paris,” the Christian Post reported. “The Federation said the gesture and other ‘violations’ of its code of conduct breached their strict regulations on displaying religious symbols during competition.”
Majdov will be suspended for five months, which means he can’t compete until next year. The International Judo Federation’s disciplinary commission cites showing “a clear religious sign when entering the field of play and…refus[ing] to bow your opponent at the end of the contest” as the reasons for the suspension.
Despite the disciplinary action, the athlete is still looking to God.
“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 said per a Google translation of an Instagram post following the suspension.
“Nothing new for me personally, just a new page in my career and a new life experience,” he continued. “I’m sorry that such a beautiful and difficult sport like judo has fallen to such things. God gave me a great career, 7 European and 3 world medals. When I started, I dreamed of winning at least one big medal and thus succeeding in my life and the life of my family, who sacrificed everything for my career.”
This isn’t the first time the IJF has spoken to Majdov about his “religious signs.”
“It shall also be noted that the athlete had antecedent incidents involving conduct, breaching the IJF Code of Ethics,” the IJF wrote in a statement. “The athlete was warned by letter in April 2018 and again in February 2022, about behavior that was contrary to the IJF SOR.”
It’s encouraging to see an athlete willing to stand up for his faith, even if it means getting penalized for it.
Movieguide® previously reported on another Olympian who isn’t afraid to speak up about his faith:
Olympic swimmer Hunter Armstrong relies on his faith to get him through each day.
“Faith is my life,” Armstrong told Fox News. “Obviously, growing up in the church, going to church camps, all the normal stuff, but as I got older, I sort of drifted away from it — always a believer, but I wasn’t buying into it. I didn’t have a relationship with God, and that’s something I felt like I was taking advantage of Him for because I’d only remember about faith when I needed it, and that’d be in competition, when I’m stressed out or I’m worrying. That’s when I’d pray.”
The swimmer has since dedicated his life to Christ, praying in the good times and the bad.
“I don’t see myself in my day-to-day life as an Olympian,” Armstrong said. “But every day, I’m a Christian. When I’m competing, I’m a Christian Olympian.”
Armstrong took home a gold and a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, and the swimmer continues to prioritize his faith.
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