Popular constitutional scholar slams sports league for banning religious expression * WorldNetDaily * by Bob Unruh

A popular constitutional scholar and commentator has slammed a sports association for banning a single expression of faith.

Jonathan Turley, who has testified before Congress on the details of the Constitution and represented members in constitutional disputes in court, responded to a five-month ban on a judo club for making a star with a cross.

“I fail to see how denying such gestures advances the sport or its values. Part of these Games is to respect our diverse values ​​and cultures. While that rightly means that the Games do not officially endorse or demonstrate religious values, individual athletes should be able to acknowledge their faith in such small gestures. If we are to embrace the diversity of our world, the solution is not to ban the expression of diverse values,” he wrote.

“It seems that faith can move mountains, but not the Olympics.”

He was reacting to the extreme measure taken by the International Judo Federation to ban 28-year-old Serbian judo champion Nemanja Majdov from participating.

He was found guilty by sports authorities of making the sign of the cross after a competition at the recent Olympic Games.

According to the regulator, he had “shown a clear religious sign when he entered the playing field.”

Majdov said: “In the letter of defense of the disciplinary proceedings I did not want to apologize… and of course I did not do that, and I never will, although I did not even know what the punishment could be. The Lord gave me everything, both for me personally and for my career, and He is number 1 for me, and I am proud of that. And that will not change under any circumstances. Glory to Him, and thanks for everything. Nothing new for me personally, just a new page in my career and a new life experience. I am sorry that such a beautiful and difficult sport as judo has succumbed to such things. God gave me a great career, 7 European and three world medals. When I started, I dreamed of winning at least one major medal and thus succeeding in my life and the life of my family, who sacrificed everything for my career. He gave us much more and even lent too much, so that I would bow my head to them when it came to either-or.”

The federation claimed the rule banning such signs was intended to make athletes “feel respected and accepted”.

“I’m not sure how that fits. Athletes who express their faith are not condoning other faiths or disparaging competitors. It shows that their achievements are not their own. They may want to embrace their friends, their country or their faith,” Turley noted.

He noted that the Olympic organizers themselves brought a wide range of “irreligious” imagery into the Games, through their opening ceremonies and more.

Many Christian commentators were shocked by the satanic imagery the games forced upon their audiences. The events included a “drag show” version of the Last Supper.

The New York Post said: “Maidov’s vote of confidence came a day after the Paris Olympics drew intense criticism over the opening ceremony, which featured a drag show version of The Last Supper. The segment featured 17 performers — including three high-profile ‘Drag Race France’ contestants — behind a long table resembling Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting of Jesus Christ and his disciples sharing a final meal.”

Bob Onruh

Bob Unruh joined WND in 2006 after nearly three decades at the Associated Press and various newspapers in the Upper Midwest, where he covered everything from legislative battles and sports to tornadoes and murderous survivalists. He is also a photographer whose landscape work has been used commercially. Read more articles by Bob Unruh here.