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Sandy Hopper, USA TODAY
Algerian judoka Fathi Noureen has been banned from competition for 10 years by the International Judo Federation after withdrawing from the Tokyo Olympics to avoid a possible confrontation with an Israeli competitor.
Noreen’s IJF Hall of Fame coach Amar Benikhlef also received a 10-year ban on Monday.
Noreen withdrew from the Tokyo Games on opening day after learning he would likely face Olympic bronze medalist Tohar with drums in the second round of the men’s lightweight competition at Budokan. Noreen and Benikhlef told Algerian media that they had resigned to express their support for the Palestinians.
The Algerian Olympic Committee withdrew the accreditation of the two men and repatriated them. Following an investigation, the International Judo Federation issued a ban which effectively ended the competitive career of Noreen, 30, a three-time African Judo Championships gold medalist.
“It is clear that Algerian judokas, with malicious intent, used the Olympics as a platform to protest and promote political and religious propaganda, which is a clear and serious violation of the laws of the International Judo Federation , the International Judo Federation Code of Ethics and the Olympic Charter,” the International Golf Federation said in a statement. “Therefore, no sanction other than a severe suspension can be imposed in this case. »
Benikhlef, 39, won a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
He qualified with a drum for the round of 16 without a match in the 73 kilogram category in Tokyo due to the withdrawal of Noreen and Sudan’s Mohamed Abdel Rasoul, who also withdrew from the tournament before facing a drum . Abdel Rasoul claimed he suffered injuries, but Tabbol and the Israeli team did not believe it, citing the fact that Abdel Rasoul weighed in during the game the day before.
Drum was knocked out in the quarter-finals of his weight class, but he was a member of the Israeli team that won a bronze medal in their first-ever mixed team competition.
Judo’s governing body has been firm in its anti-discrimination policies and strong support for Israel’s right to compete in recent years.
In April, the IFJ suspended Iran for four years because the nation refused to allow its fighters to fight the Israelis. The International Judo Federation says Iran’s politics came to light when former Iranian judoka Saeed Mollaei claimed he was ordered to lose in the semi-finals of the 2019 World Championships in Tokyo to avoid the possibility of facing the Israeli world champion Sagi Muki in the final.
Mollaei was granted asylum in Germany and citizenship in Mongolia. He won a silver medal for Mongolia at the Tokyo Olympics.
Noreen and Benikhlef can appeal the ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
