The governing body for judo will investigate the circumstances surrounding Algeria’s Messaoud Redouane Dris, who failed to make weight for his -73kg matchup against Israel’s Tohar Butbul at the Paris Olympics. The organization noted that athletes can sometimes become “victims of larger political conflicts”.
According to the International Judo Federation (IJF), Dris showed up for the weight check on Sunday just 10 minutes before the cutoff, but was found to be 400g over the maximum weight limit for competition on Monday. Consequently, Dris was disqualified, and the match was awarded to Butbul, who ultimately lost in the round of 16.
Yael Arad, chair of Israel’s Olympic Committee, condemned the incident as a “disgrace” and demanded sanctions against the North African team. Algerian media as well as a sponsor for Algeria’s Olympic athletes praised Dris.
In a statement released on Monday, the IJF stated, “After the Olympic Games, a comprehensive review and investigation of the incident will be conducted, and additional measures will be taken if deemed necessary. We maintain that sports should uphold integrity and fairness, free from international conflicts’ influence. Sadly, athletes frequently become the casualties of broader political disagreements that contradict sports’ values.”
The Paris Olympics are unfolding amidst significant security concerns and elevated geopolitical tensions, particularly due to Israel’s ongoing conflict in Gaza following the attacks orchestrated by Hamas on October 7.
The Algerian Olympic team opted not to comment when Reuters reached out. Nonetheless, an Algerian publication lauded the judoka for “wisely evading a match with [the] Israeli competitor by not making weight.”
Mobilis, one of the sponsors of the Algerian athletes, shared on Facebook: “Dris has earned everyone’s respect. Honor and support for the [Palestinian] cause precede everything else.”
Arad, a former judoka and the first Israeli to clinch an Olympic medal, remarked to Reuters: “This situation is disgraceful. While there can be excuses related to weight, it is clear to everyone that this is a political issue. My sympathy goes to that athlete.”
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In a like manner, another Algerian judoka, Fethi Nourine, received a 10-year suspension from the IJF after he withdrew from his match at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics. The 30-year-old was slated to compete against Sudan’s Mohamed Abdalrasool in his initial outing in the men’s -73kg category, and had he emerged victorious, he would have met Butbul in the following round.
