Algerian judoka banned for 10 years after Olympics boycott

Victory
would
have
seen
him
come
up
against
Israel’s
Tohar
Butbul
in
the
next
round.
Nourine
said
it
would
be
impossible
for
him
to
compete
against
Butbul,
due
to
his
political
support
for
Palestine.

It
was
not
the
first
time
Butbul
had
been
involved
in
a
boycott
due
to
his
nationality.

Nourine
and
his
coach,
Amar
Benikhlef,
were
immediately
sent
home
from
the
Tokyo
Games
by
the
Algerian
Olympic
Committee,
while
the
IJF
temporarily
suspended
them.

Now,
they
have
been
banned
from
all
IJF
events
until
July
23,
2031.
The
organization
said
said
the
pair
had
used
the
Games
“with
malicious
intent
…
as
a
platform
for
protest
and
promotion
of
political
and
religious
propaganda”,
which
breached
Article
50
of
the
Olympic
Charter.

“Therefore,
no
other
penalty
than
a
severe
suspension
can
be
imposed
in
this
case.”

The
statement
also
said
that
Nourine
and
Benikhlef
will
be
able
to
appeal
their
bans
to
the
Court
of
Arbitration
for
Sport.

It
is
not
the
first
time
Nourine
has
withdrawn
from
competition
to
avoid
facing
an
Israeli
opponent,
he
also
exited
the
2019
World
Championships
in
Tokyo.

Judo’s
governing
body
has
been
strict
regarding
its
anti-discrimination
policies
and
has
demonstrated
support
of
Israel’s
right
to
compete.

Iranian
judoka
Saeid
Mollaei
claimed
he
was
ordered
to
lose
a
bout
in
the
semi-finals
of
2019
World
Championships
to
avoid
potentially
facinb
Israeli
Sagi
Muki
in
the
final.

Mollaei
ended
up
seeking
and
receiving
asylum
in
Germany
and
applied
for
citizenship
in
Mongolia.
He
won
a
silver
medal
for
Mongolia
at
this
year’s
Tokyo
Olympics.

The
IJF
suspended
Iran
for
four
years
in
April
this
year
because
of
the
nation’s
stance
on
its
fighters
competing
against
Israelis.

jcs
(AP,
AFP)

Source:

DW