Algerian Judoka Disqualifies Himself to Avoid Facing Israeli Athlete
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Algerian judoka Messaoud Dris disqualified himself during the weigh-in on Monday, opting not to compete against Israeli judoka Tohar Butbul in the round of 16 at the Paris 2024 Olympics (under 73 kg).
As a result, Butbul will now face Azerbaijan's Hidayat Heydarov, the reigning world champion and current world number one, in the next round.
This incident is not unprecedented, as Algerian athletes have previously refused to face Israeli opponents in the Olympics.
Three years ago in Tokyo, Fethi Nourine withdrew to avoid competing against Butbul.
Nourine's coach, Amar Benikhlef, received a severe penalty and was suspended for 10 years following the incident.
In another instance on Sunday, Tajikistan's Nurali Emomali refused to shake hands with Israel's Baruch Shmailov after defeating him.
Emomali walked straight off the mat without acknowledging his opponent.
Protests against Israel's presence at the Paris Games have been ongoing since the beginning of Israel's brutal offensive in Gaza last year.
With the 2024 Paris Olympics underway, calls for a boycott against Israel have been growing in response to the regime’s genocidal war in Gaza, which have led to the deaths of nearly 40,000 Palestinians since Oct. 7.
Historically, the Olympics have been a stage for political protest, including by athletes refusing to compete against Israeli opponents to oppose Tel Aviv regime's policies and its inhumane treatment of Palestinians.
Over the past two decades, numerous athletes have withdrawn or deliberately disqualified themselves as a form of boycotting Israel in the sporting arena.
