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Friday, July 26, 2024
Algerian judoka expected to withdraw from Olympic match rather than compete against Israeli in first round – report
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Algeria's Messaoud Redouane Dris competes in the men's under 73 kg category elimination round bout during the 2022 World Judo Championships at the Humo Arena in Tashkent on October 8, 2022. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP)
Algerian judoka Messaoud Dris is expected to withdraw from his first match of the 2024 Paris Olympics after being selected to compete against Israeli judoka Tohar Butbul in the first round of the under 73kg competition, French news outlet Ouest France reports.
According to the report, the Algerian athlete is expected to forfeit the match as his country does not recognize the State of Israel.
The implications of his decision could be far-reaching, Ouest France states, as he could be banned from future competitions by the International Olympic Committee and the World Judo Federation.
Butbul, who is ranked ninth in the world in the Under 73kg division, was part of the Israeli team that won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
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