Olympics Judo athlete Nemanja Majdov banned long-term for crude gesture

Olympic star Nemanja Majdov has refused to back down after the five-month suspension given for using a banned gesture. The 28-year-old Serbian judo star was suspended after he flashed the sign of the cross at the Paris Games.

The International Judo Federation said Majdov had violated its rules when he made a "distinctly religious gesture" as he entered the competition area before his round of 16 loss to Greece's Theodoros Tselidis.

IJF's decision will keep Majdov, a seven-time European medalist and three-time world champion, out of competition until February 2025.

The Orthodox Times reported that Serbian athletes, including tennis sensation Novak Djokovic, have come to Majdov's defense in public.

First-time warnings for the same sign of the cross were earlier issued to Majdov during previous events. Still, he remains defiant, saying he will not deny his faith.

Besides the gesture, further violations cited by the IJF were Majdov refusing to bow to his opponent and the removal of his judogi on the competition floor.