There has been much speculation about World Champion Matvey Kanikovskiy’s removal from the IJF World Rankings. He was previously ranked No. 5 but now there is a line across his name. He is also not representing Russia in the upcoming European Championships.
Why?
So far there is no news from the IJF but according to this article from Inside The Games, Kanikovskiy has been provisionally suspended due to Anti-Doping Rule Violation. The article said data from the International Testing Agency confirms that Kanikovskiy is listed under the ADRV section following a test on 15 March, 2026.
The violation cited falls under Articles 2.1 and 2.2 of the anti-doping code, specifically the presence of SARMS LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) and its metabolite. Ligandrol is typically used to increase muscle mass and strength.
Says the article: The lack of an official statement from the IJF aligns with the federation's historical handling of doping matters. In 2025, prominent Dutch judokas Noël van 't End, Frank de Wit, and Michael Korrel were suspended for whereabouts issues dating back to 2022, yet the information was only brought to light by the Dutch Judo Federation rather than the international governing body. A similar situation occurred with Georgia's Luka Maisuradze in 2024.
