Paris Olympics: Algerian judoka accused of intentionally avoiding competition with Israel

An Algerian judoka, Messaoud Redouane Dris, has been disqualified from the Olympic Games for failing to meet the weight requirement before a match against Israeli judoka Tohar Butbul in the -73kg category, BBC reports.

Dris weighed in above the 73kg limit and was thus removed from the draw, leading to Butbul advancing automatically to the next round.

The disqualification was confirmed by the Games organizers. The Israeli Olympic Committee accused Dris of intentionally failing the weight requirement to avoid competing against Butbul.

"The Israeli delegation will continue to compete with the Olympic values in mind, we believe this kind of behaviour has no place in the world of sport,” it said in a statement.

This incident follows a similar situation at the Tokyo Games in 2021, where another Algerian judoka, Fethi Nourine, received a 10-year ban from the International Judo Federation after withdrawing from a match against Butbul. Nourine had cited his support for the Palestinian cause as his reason for not competing.