The talent of Vladimir Putin in martial arts became legendary. Thanks to the steady stream of news servile state media of Russia, often without any critical check, I repeat the American edition, of Putin as a specialist in judo the highest class. His ability to produce such a deep impression and so famous that they became synonymous with the style of leadership of the Russian leader.
64-year-old Putin really is a black belt holder, and he has many honours and titles in martial arts from various organizations dealing with such cases. If you search in Google, we will find a huge number of photos and videos that the Russian President in a white robe, with enviable ease throws on the mats with their opponents in sparring. He has co-authored several books on judo and even played a role in the training video, which received the aptly named “let’s Learn judo with Vladimir Putin”.
Imaginary sportsmanship Putin definitely fits into the picture of masculinity, which he shows to the world. It is a great addition to those pictures where he poses with a naked torso, in military uniform, and also to the tales that he fights with bears and lulls tranquilizers tigers.
But whether Putin is a master of martial arts, how it is represented?
No, says the blog editor for national security Lawfare Benjamin Witts (Benjamin Wittes).
It just so happens that Witts passionate fan of martial arts and he thinks Putin is a fraud. Moreover, he wants to bring it to clean water, which challenged the Russian dictator by offering him to fight in any place where Putin will not be able to arrest him.
Witts first caused Putin to a duel back in the fall of 2015, when his blog was a relatively obscure, but read it mostly people from the sphere of national security. Over time, the popularity of Lawfare gained momentum, and there were materials about the investigations of alleged Russian interference in the presidential election of 2016 and unflattering comments about the administration of the trump. Witts has become something of a celebrity in Twitter and a hero of the left, especially after in may, he shared his opinion about the former Director of the FBI James Komi and his dubious contacts with the President.
Riding a new wave of popularity, Witts weekend again called Putin to a duel, posting your Twitter link to your posts about a hypothetical fight. “We must prepare for the day when the Kremlin finally call you” — he said.
https://t.co/5AT8Q5ljCS
— Benjamin Wittes (@benjaminwittes) July 15, 2017
@benjaminwittes
Okay, guys. It’s time to do thequote. You need to be ready for that day when the Kremlin finally will make the call.
@benjaminwittes
I will fight with Putin at any time and in any place where he will not be able to arrest me. This is my challenge to the President of the Russian Federation.
According to 47-year-old Witts, received a black belt in Aikido and decode, many videos of fights Putin (actually very much) it’s a lie. They usually begin with a few shots, in which Putin is warming up with his sparring partner, and then suddenly throws it or is doing he cutting. Witts claims that his partners fall to the floor with extreme ease.
“At least on the videos that I watched Putin no one strongly attacked. I saw no evidence that the opponents are even trying to beat him, wrote Witts in his blog. — In the video he shows his courage and athletic skill, and rivals do for it what the Japanese call “ukemi” (safety from falling).
Witts posted in a Facebook post entitled “Why Putin does not want to fight with me?” The answer to this question he gives a quite sharp: “Putin is a crook in the martial arts. He fights only with those who have power, and they all give in to him”.
According to WITTES, the dark side of the Putin demonstrations is that they are based on the aggressiveness of the Russian leader on the international stage, as well as the persecution of dissidents and minorities in Russia.
The experience of Putin in martial arts are well documented, and he has long insisted that judo and other martial arts bring in people self-discipline. Another question — if he’s such a fearless fighter, as he is portrayed. While I doubt very few, and Witts one of them.
Putin’s biographers note that he started practicing judo and the Soviet combat sport of Sambo as an adolescent in St. Petersburg. Giving in 2001 NPR interview, he described his life-long love of both sports:
I started at 14 years Russian he is called Sambo self defense without weapons translated — and then moved into the sports group, which was engaged in judo. I was a master of sports. We have such a gradation. A “black belt” was somewhere in 18 years. I can say my entire adult life doing judo. I love this sport. I think that this is not just a sport, but it’s also a little philosophy, which teaches respect for the partner. I try to do regularly and enjoy doing it.
In recent years Putin gets honorary awards and titles in martial arts, and mostly is not a recognition of his sportsmanship, and the desire to enlist his support. In 2014, the international organization awarded him a black belt eighth degree for his work on the popularization in Russia of the contact karate. The year before the world Taekwondo Federation has awarded Putin the title of master of the sport after his visit to South Korea, although he has never done it before. At that time the Independent newspaper noted that he was now in his rank higher than the martial arts expert and actor Chuck Norris.
RT and other state media enthusiastically broadcast about the awards and titles at every opportunity, making Putin and almost a superhero who has mastered all martial arts.
“Why the bodyguards, if you’re so good with self-defense techniques?— asked in 2008 question the RT reporter in the report about Putin making the opponent trip and throwing it on the Mat. — Vladimir Putin shows that he is a politician with whom it is better not to communicate”.
Some American publications, too, enjoy drawing Putin in the image of a caricature of the dictator for whom martial arts is a sign of originality. Titles on this subject a lot: “Vladimir Putin owns judo better than you”, “Putin is drawn to pieces members of the Russian team on judo”, “Vladimir Putin gets a black belt ninth degree Taekwondo because he deserved it”.
WITSA these headings are not up to snuff. He said that the proposal to hold a fight with Putin is no joke.
“Putin must fight with well trained office worker middle-aged (but not an expert in martial arts) in a setting where I can win without fear of being punished for it, or it is waiting for the universal condemnation around the world as a weakling and a liar, — he wrote. — A truly strong leader does not need a show with the participation of the subject to his lackeys”.
