Algerian judoka Messaoud Redouane Dris has withdrawn from his first match of the 2024 Paris Olympics after being selected to compete against Israeli judoka Tohar Butbul. The International Judo Federation (IJF) announced on Sunday that Butbul won by walkover after Dris was disqualified for missing weight.
The match, scheduled to be the first in the men's 73-kilogram division, is the second instance where an Algerian judoka withdrew to avoid competing against Butbul. In the 2021 Tokyo Games, Algeria’s Fethi Nourine also withdrew to avoid a potential match with Butbul, citing support for Palestine. Nourine and his coach were subsequently suspended for 10 years by the IJF.
Algeria does not officially recognize Israel. The withdrawal comes amid widespread protests and calls for solidarity with Palestinians during the Paris Games. A US-based rights group has urged the banning of Israel from the Olympics following an International Court of Justice ruling accusing Israel of apartheid and systematic discrimination against Palestinians.
Iran has also condemned Israel’s participation in the Paris Olympics, labeling it as legitimizing the regime responsible for the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The conflict has resulted in over 39,000 Palestinian deaths and significant injuries, mostly among women and children.
