Judokas compete during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on July 24, 2021. Photo: Franck Fife / AFP
An Algerian judo athlete is being sent home from the Tokyo Olympics after he withdrew from a match to avoid a possible competition against an Israeli opponent, AP reports.
Driving the news: Fethi Nourine and his coach, Amar Benikhlef, told Algerian media they were withdrawing to avoid a potential second-round matchup on Monday with Israel’s Tohar Butbul in the men’s 73 kg division, per AP.
- The International Judo Federation's executive committee temporarily suspended the Algerian pair and they are likely to face sanctions beyond the Olympics, per AP.
- The IJF said Nourine’s position was "in total opposition to the philosophy of the International Judo Federation. The IJF has a strict non-discrimination policy, promoting solidarity as a key principle, reinforced by the values of judo," per AP.
- The Algerian Olympic committee took away Nourine and Benikhlef's accreditation and arranged for them to be sent home.
The big picture: Nourine and Benikhlef attributed their decision to withdraw to their political support for Palestinians, per AP.
- Nourine also withdrew from the World Judo Championships in 2019 before he was scheduled to face Butbul, who is considered a more accomplished judo athlete than Nourine.