The IJF has ruled that eight members of the delegation looking to compete as individual neutral athletes at the event in the Qatari capital should be rejected after "conducting thorough background investigations".

"Only athletes employed at the Federal Training Sport Center of the representative teams of Russia and athletes for whom no information was identified suggesting support for or views on the Russian invasion of Ukraine have been approved to compete at the World Judo Championships 2023 and in IJF competitions," a statement from the IJF read.

According to the IJF, the decision to reject the members was in accordance with the organisation's rules, policies and "commitment to fair play".

The IJF vowed to continue to monitor the situation and conduct further investigations in a bid to "ensure that all athletes are participating ethically and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the sport and the judo values".

A decision was made by the IJF Executive Committee on Saturday (April 29) to readmit judoka from Russia and Belarus as individual neutral athletes in time for the World Championships, scheduled to be held from May 7 to 14.

The IJF has revealed that its Executive Committee had received the list of proposed participants before commissioning "independent background checks" on the athletes and delegates to "ensure both their place of employment and any social media interactions regarding pro-war propaganda".

The names of those that have been rejected have yet to be revealed by the IJF.

A total of 10 male and 10 female athletes have been listed under the neutral banner on the IJF website for the World Championships.

Among those include 2021 world champion Yago Abuladze and Olympic medallists Niiaz Iliasov, Tamerlan Bashaev and Madina Taimazova.

The decision to readmit Russians and Belarusians has resulted in the Ukrainian Judo Federation (FJU) boycotting the World Championships.

Judo is the latest Olympic sport to lift its ban on Russia and Belarus after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled last month they should be allowed to return to the global sporting stage as neutrals provided they do not support the war in Ukraine and are not affiliated to the military.

"We do not see the neutrality, equal conditions and 'bridge to peace' mentioned in the IJF Resolution regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian teams in the World Champoinships in Doha," a statement from the FJU read in a report by Ukrainian newspaper Tribuna.

"Moreover, we see here a decision that contradicts the latest recommendations of the International Olympic Committee of March 28, 2023, where the IOC says that the status of neutral athletes can only be granted to those athletes who are not military personnel.

"We are disappointed with the decision of the International Judo Federation. 

"So we decided to withdraw from the World Championship in Doha."

The Ukrainian Government last month adopted a resolution punishing National Federations whose athletes participate in competitions involving Russia and Belarus.

Ukrainian Sports Minister and National Olympic Committee of Ukraine President Vadym Guttsait said he supported the FJU's decision to withdraw from the event where, he claims, "Russian athletes were blindly admitted".

"For judokas, 'neutrality' in Russian looks like this: if not a contract in the armed forces, then in the national security bodies of the Russian Federation," said Guttsait in a report by Tribuna.

Guttsait has also issued a letter to James Macleod, director of Olympic Solidarity and head of the National Olympic Committee relations, accusing the IJF of violating the IOC's recommendations over the alledged participation of military personnel at the World Championships.

"Unfortunately, we have an example of unprecedented neglet of the Olympic Charter and the decisions and recommendaitons of the Internaitonal Olympic Committee," Guttsait wrote.

"This situation once again confirms that our concerns about non-compliance with the IOC recommendations are not unfounded."

Ukrainian judoka have slammed the IJF's ruling but also raised questions of the country's Government as they face missing a key qualification event for Paris 2024 while athletes in other sports continue to face Russians and Belarusians.

Among those includes reigning European champion Bohdan Yadov and world bronze medallist Yelyzaveta Lytvynenko who spoke out in a report by Tribuna.

"We are not going to the World Championships, but Mr Minister, what is the difference between us and the national football team?," said Yadov. 

"I am the only one from the national team who is in the top ranking and I cannot get to the final part with them, so why do they continue to perform and I do not?

"But if we do not talk about me, the guys in the 60 kilogram weight category do not have them at all, that is, they cannot meet them in any way. 

"So explain what is the difference between our national team and Elina Svitolina and other tennis players.

"What is the difference between us and football team? 

"I guess I know what the difference is [money].

"I love my country and I understand that this is the right decision, but why it does not apply to everyone, I cannot understand."

Lytvynenko added:  "How are we supposed to qualify for the Olympics when we currently risk missing important ranking tournaments and simply not getting the points we need? 

"Why are we voluntarily giving up our place to the representatives of the aggressor countries?"

"Then what is the point of waiting and hoping for a decision on not allowing Russians and Belarusians to Paris 2024, if we risk not going there ourselves?"