BUDAPEST, Hungary -- North Korea will no longer host the judo world junior championships because of security risks amid rising political tension with South Korea and the United States.
The International Judo Federation says "this situation is alarming, and the outcomes are difficult to predict."
The federation awarded the Oct. 18-22 event to Pyongyang with conditions including "that there was a stable international situation of the country." It says the championships will instead be held in Zagreb, Croatia.
The federation says it made the change because some national teams "declined participation, others expressed concern regarding the participation of their children at this event."
Other issues cited were canceled international flights to North Korea plus "safety and security of participants and their belongings, communications with the outside world, possibility of live streaming."