Saudi judoka avoids facing Israeli in the Olympics
August 7, 2016A Saudi Arabian judoka on Sunday forfeited her first-round match at the Rio Olympic Games, in what is believed to be a move made to avoid facing Israeli judo fighter Gili Cohen in the second round.
The Saudi judoka, Joud Fahmy, was to have faced off against Christianne Legentil from Mauritius, but the Saudi Olympic team claimed through Twitter that Fahmy had sustained injuries to her arm and leg during training and was advised by medical staff not to compete.
Israel’s Channel 2 News, however, reported that Fahmy was not hurt and that she had simply dropped out to avoid competing against Cohen.
The incident comes two days after Lebanese athletes refused to share a bus with Israeli counterparts to get to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
On Sunday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) reprimanded the Lebanese delegation over the incident.
Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev welcomed the move, saying, “I applaud the IOC for dealing with the despicable and anti-Semitic behavior of the Lebanese delegation. I expect the IOC to act in this manner against any incident of anti-Semitism and exclusion of Israeli athletes in competitions around the world.”
Similar posts
-
Israel: Small Size, Big Impact
March 21, 2024Nestled along the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel is a land of immense historical sig...
-
Israelis Are Fighting For Their Lives
February 21, 2024By Jonathan S. Tobin The world looks a lot different from Kibbutz Kfar Aza than it does in the U...
-
Over 2 Million Arabs Live In Israel
January 23, 2024In the complex landscape of the Middle East, where diverse cultures and identities intersect, Israe...
-
'Fauda' Star Idan Amedi Injured Fighting in Gaza
January 8, 2024Despite the severity of his injuries, Amedi's father assured Israeli news channels that his life is...
-
Israel Is A Great Country To Live In
December 28, 2023Nestled at the crossroads of the Middle East, Israel stands as a vibrant and dynamic nation, offeri...
-
Women's Empowerment in Israel
December 15, 2023In recent decades, Israel has witnessed a remarkable evolution in the status and empowerment of wom...
-
Female Israeli Soldiers Who Defeated 100 Terrorists
December 6, 2023In the aftermath of the October 7 attacks, the valiant all-female unit of the Israeli Defense Force...
-
Dear World: I Don't Care
November 2, 2023By Avi Lewis I don’t care that you sympathize with Hamas I know you wouldn’t tolerate any of ...