Algerian Judoka Suspended from Olympics After Refusing to Fight Israeli

An Algerian judoka athlete has been suspended from the 2021 Olympic tournament in Tokyo after refusing to fight Israeli judoka Tohar Butbul.

The Times of Israel reported that Fethi Nourine, the Algerian judoka, declined to fight his opponent, Sudanese judoka Mohamed Abdalrasool, on July 26 because the winner of the match would have to fight Butbul. “The Palestinian cause is bigger than all of this,” he told Algerian television.

The International Judo Federation (IJF) suspended both Nourine and his coach, Amar Benikhlef, over the matter and both will be sent home. “The IJF has a strict non-discrimination policy, promoting solidarity as a key principle, reinforced by the values of judo,” the organization said in a statement. “Judo sport is based on a strong moral code, including respect and friendship, to foster solidarity and we will not tolerate any discrimination, as it goes against the core values and principles of our sport.”

The American Jewish Committee tweeted, “Thank you, @Judo, for sending a loud and clear message against hate.”

Algerian judoka Fethi Nourine and his coach have been suspended by the International Judo Federation for refusing to compete against Israeli Tohar Butbul at the #OlympicGames.

Thank you, @Judo, for sending a loud and clear message against hate.https://t.co/ugxu78sdG1

— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) July 26, 2021

Abdalrasool failed to show up for the July 26 match with Butbol. No official reason was given, but Butbul told the Associated Press (AP) that his team was told that Abdalrasool had a shoulder injury. Butbul and his team were skeptical about Abdalrasool’s apparent injury.

Nevertheless, Butbul avoided the subject of politics and focused on the tournament itself in his comments to the AP. Butbul finished in seventh place after losing to Canadian judoka Arthur Margelidon.

“I came with a pure aim to win a medal, and it’s very hard for me to bear that I didn’t fulfill my own expectations,” he said. “That was the goal I put into the whole of my career. It’s still too early for me to understand what happened. I wasn’t precise in executing my plan, but in judo sometimes there is a gap between how you plan and what is in reality.”