Judokas Took To Streets as their President Still Retains his Post
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Tuesday, May 29
(TBILISI) - Georgian judokas have appealed to their supporters and ordinary citizens, who care about the Georgian judo, to participate in a rally in central Tbilisi on May 28 to achieve the resignation of the current president of Georgia’s Judo Federation David Kevkhishvili.
Well known Georgian judokas Varlam Liparteliani and Avtandil Tchrikishvili stated during the rally in front of the Parliament in Tbilisi that it will be welcomed if the Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and the new head and the founder of the Georgian Dream party, tycoon Bidzina Ivanishvili show their interest in the issue.
The judokas claim that such a meeting may help settling the issue and say that they distance themselves from any political force.
“We demand Kevkhishvili’s immediate resignation as he fails to cope with his obligations and is involved in alleged illegalities. We also demand the government to show more interest to the problems in Georgia’s Judo Federation,” the judokas said.
Georgian national judo team started boycotting the federation president on May 4.
They refuse to train or participate in international championships as long as Kevkhishvili is the president.
The federation president refuses to resign and says that the process is politically motivated and orchestrated by some forces.
He named the Georgian Olympic champion Zurab Zviadauri and the Georgian Dream ruling party MP Shota Khabareli as the “key players” of the protest.
Kevkhishvili claims that the two aim to “control” the Judo federation if he quits.
