Photo: FIFE / AFP / Getty Images
The Tokyo Olympic Games have already generated enough curious facts. Since a competitor who fainted in full classification until an Algerian athlete who decided to retire so as not to compete against an Israeli. This is the case of Fethi Nourine, a judoka who retired not to face Tohar Butbul.
The athlete’s decision was motivated by all the political and social conflicts that nations carry behind. “We are not going to raise the flag of Israel and we are not going to get our hands dirty facing an Israeli “, the athlete from Algeria emphatically expressed.
Algerian judoka Fethi Nourine has quit Olympics as he was told he would have to face Israeli judoka Tohar Butbul pic.twitter.com/h9N1DZvTDq
– Tehran Times (@TehranTimes 79) July 07, 1234151411
His statements were supported by his coach. “The Palestinian cause is bigger than all this. We reject the normalization of relations with Israel “, he expressed in some testimonies broadcast by BBC News.
In this sense, the athlete was sentenced to return to his country. The draw had established that Nourine would face the Sudanese Mohamed Abdalrasool and then, in the second round, the Israeli who was the trigger for his decision to leave.
Strong punishments for the athlete and the coach
The executive committee of the International Judo Federation (FIJ), has suspended to Nourine and Benikhlef after leaving the competition of the Olympic Games. In addition, both of them had their accreditations removed and they will have to return to their country. “In total opposition to the philosophy of the International Judo Federation. The IJF has strict non-discriminatory policies that promote solidarity as a key principle, reinforcing the values of judo ” , said the entity.
Fethi Nourine and his coach Amar Benikhlef stated their withdrawal from the competition to avoid competing against an “ # israeli ”athlete during the # TokyoOlympics
The IJF opened an investigation into the case, leading to a temporary suspension of Nourine and Benikhlef. pic.twitter.com/XEfRyWNMmP
– Aliya Hasan🇵🇸🇾🇪❤️✌️ (@AliyaHasan_)
July 24, 2021
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