Algerian judoka Messaoud Redouane Dris has withdrawn from the 2024 Paris Olympics, avoiding a match against Israeli opponent Tohar Butbul in the 73kg category. Officially, Dris was disqualified for exceeding the weight limit by 400 grams. However, this incident has sparked controversy and speculation about political motivations, recalling similar incidents in past Olympics.The International Judo Federation (IJF) has announced an investigation into the matter, stating that it will not tolerate the use of the Olympics as a platform for political and religious propaganda. The Israeli Olympic Committee has condemned the alleged intentional withdrawal, asserting that such behavior has no place in the world of sports.This marks the third time an opponent has refused to face Butbul at the Olympics. In 2021, Dris’ compatriot Fethi Nourine boycotted a match against Butbul in the Tokyo Olympics and was subsequently suspended for 10 years by the IJF.The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between some Arab nations and Israel in international sports competitions. Algeria does not officially recognize Israel, and the two nations have a strained relationship.Meanwhile, in other judo news, Ukrainian judoka Daria Bilodid lost to Japanese athlete Haruka Funakubo in the 1/8 finals of the women’s 57 kg category. In a surprising turn of events, Japanese judoka Uta Abe, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics champion in the 52 kg category, suffered an unexpected loss in the 1/8 finals, marking her first defeat since November 2019.
Key points
- Algerian judoka Messaoud Redouane Dris withdrew from the Olympics, avoiding a match with Israeli opponent Tohar Butbul.
- The International Judo Federation has launched an investigation into the incident.
- This is the third time an opponent has refused to face Butbul at the Olympics, highlighting ongoing political tensions in sports.
Contradictions👾While most sources report that Dris was disqualified for being overweight, some speculate that this was intentional to avoid facing the Israeli opponent.
👾There are slight discrepancies in the reporting of Dris’s exact weight overage, with some sources stating 400 grams and others not specifying the exact amount.
