“That happens to us Israeli athletes”
Tohar Butbul started in the weight class up to 73 kilos
What: REUTERS
Tohar Butbul starts in Judo at Olympia. The result is a strange process: two opponents do not face the Israeli. When WELT tries to question the IOC President about the cause, one of his assistants intervenes.
Tohar Butbul was visibly exhausted. Before facing the crowd of journalists, the Israeli judoka first cooled his face with water in a small sink in the mixed zone. Then he leaned visibly exhausted on the barriers and answered the questions of the Israeli reporters in a low voice.
“I came with the pure goal of winning here. I’ve wanted that all my career. But in judo there is sometimes a small gap between plan and reality, ”he explained dejectedly. In the meantime, the 27-year-old seemed close to tears. Behind Butbul lay an eventful day in Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan. At the judo tournament of the Olympic Games, the Israeli lost to the Canadian Arthur Margelidon in the hope round of the weight class up to 73 kilograms. But the sporty took a back seat.
Sharia law applies in Sudan
Because for the second time in these games an opponent renounced a duel with Butbul. Mohamed Abdalrasool did not appear in the round of 32 against the Israeli. According to official information from the organizers, the Sudanese was absent due to a shoulder injury. However, the short-term cancellation has a bland aftertaste, because Abdalrasool’s homeland in West Africa is Muslim. The legal system in Sudan is the Sharia law.
Even before the Sudanese had canceled, a fighter from Algeria decided not to duel with the Israeli. Fethi Nourine withdrew from his opening match against Abdalrasool after looking at the tableau and realizing that if he won, he would face Israeli Butbul.
Fethi Nourine did not take part in the fight against the Israeli
What: REUTERS
Nourine announced that he could not and will not compete against this due to his stance in the Middle East conflict. His coach Amar Ben Yaklif reiterated his athlete’s words: “We were not happy with the draw. It was the right decision. ”At the World Cup in Tokyo two years ago, Nourine had already canceled a fight and explained this with the origin of his opponent.
Bach’s assistant intervenes
When asked about the actions of his two opponents, Butbul, who stepped in front of the cameras of several Israeli broadcasters after the mixed zone, did not want to say much: “These are things that sometimes happen in judo. It wasn’t that unusual for me. That’s what happens to us Israeli athletes. But I don’t want to talk too much about political things. ”The international association IJF suspended Nourine and Ben Yaklif for the time being, while the Algerian Olympic Committee withdrew the duo’s accreditation.
Thomas Bach did not want to comment on the cause. When WELT tried to ask the IOC President about Butbul after his visit to the final match in front of the arena, one of his assistants intervened. This matter is a matter for the IJF, it said. The world association only imposed a four-year ban on Iran in April because the national association had instructed its athletes not to compete against Israelis.
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