Algerian Athlete Would Rather Be Booted From Olympics Than Face an Israeli

The International Judo Federation has suspended an Algerian athlete who withdrew from the Olympics so he would not have to compete against an Israeli. Fethi Nourine’s coach has also been suspended while the group decides on discipline for their boycott, described as an expression of support for Palestinians. The order of Olympic competition meant that if Nourine beat a Sudanese judoka on Monday, he would have faced Israel’s Tohar Butbul. The Algerian also bowed out of the 2019 world championships to avoid facing Butbul. The federation said the suspensions were based on rules that state “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”