Algerian Olympic judoka appears to intentionally gain weight in order to be disqualified from match against Israeli.
By World Israel News Staff
An Algerian judoka who seemingly gained weight in order to be disqualified from an Olympic match against an Israeli is being investigated by the International Judo Federation (IJF), the sporting organization announced in a statement.
Messaoud Redouane Dris was set to face off against an Israeli opponent, Tohar Butbul, in Paris, in an under-73 kilogram bout.
But the Algerian, who appeared at the weigh-in just 10 minutes before the deadline, was found to weigh 73.4 kilos — disqualifying him from the match on Monday.
Butbul automatically qualified for the next round of matches, and Dris’ Olympic journey came to an end.
The Olympics bans athletes from refusing to compete due to an opponent’s country of origin, with serious consequences for those who flout the policy.
The last-minute weight gain was likely a strategic move by Dris to avoid the consequences of stating that he was refusing to compete against an Israeli for political reasons.
The Algerian newspaper al Nahar praised Dris for “cleverly avoiding meeting Israeli opponent by failing” the weigh-in.
However, Dris’s strategy may have failed. In a media statement, the IJF implied that they did not believe Dris’ weight-based disqualification, one day before a scheduled match with an Israeli, was a coincidence.
“The IJF firmly upholds the principles of fair play, the Olympic spirit and non-discrimination. We believe that sport should remain a realm of integrity and fairness, free from the influences of international conflicts,” the body said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, athletes often become victims of broader political disputes which are against the values of sport.”
The IJF added that “a full review and investigation of the situation will be conducted and further action will be taken if needed.”
Israel’s Olympic Committee chair Yael Arad demanded punitive measures against the Algerian Olympic delegation.
“I think this is a disgrace,” Arad, an ex-judoka told Reuters.
:I think that you can play with the weigh-in, the category, [say] I wasn’t prepared, but everybody knows this is a political issue. My heart goes out to this athlete.”