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UAE Apologizes To Israel For Treatment of Judo Team, Snubbed By Their Hosts Because Of Their Nationality

Oct 30, 2017Articles

UAE Apologizes To Israel For Treatment of Judo Team, Snubbed By Their Hosts Because Of Their Nationality

 

 

Israeli athletes haven’t had the easiest time in sports due to the tricky political situation. You may have seen examples such as:

 

Video: Egyptian Judoka Refuses To Shake Israeli Opponent’s Hand

Israeli Judo Team Banned From Competing Under National Flag in Abu Dhabi

But after some back lash in the media after an Israel judoka who had won the gold had no anthem or flag playing for him so he was forced to hum the anthem the UAE responded.

Israeli Judoka Wins Gold – Forced To Hum The Anthem For Himself As Abu Dhabi Refused To Play It

 

The United Arab Emirates’ top judo official apologized to his Israeli counterpart Saturday after a tournament in Abu Dhabi saw Israeli athletes repeatedly snubbed by their hosts because of their nationality.

Mohammad Bin Thaloub Al-Darei, president of the UAE’s Judo Federation, and Aref Al-Awani, another senior Emirates sports official, apologized to Israeli Judo Association head Moshe Ponte over the fact that an athlete from the UAE refused to shake hands with an Israeli judoka after a match during the several-day tournament, according to a statement from the International Judo Federation.

Darei and Awani “apologized because of the UAE athletes not shaking hands with the Israel athletes and also congratulated the Israel team for their success here,” IJF president Marius Vizer said. He called the move a “gesture of courage.”

“As you can see I don’t have the flag,” Or Sasson said Saturday after winning the bronze medal in the over 100 kilogram category, pointing the bare patch on his chest where the other competitors had their national flag. “But my heart is always, always with the state of Israel. I hope I made you proud and I will always continue to represent you with pride,” he said.

 

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