In 1992, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) introduced the initiative to revitalise the Olympic Truce for the modern Olympic Games. Every year since then, the IOC and the United Nations (UN) have adopted a resolution in support of the principle of the Olympic Truce. The President of the 2024 Olympic Games said: ‘The Games embody the power of sport in the best possible way by spreading the values of sharing, tolerance and respect worldwide. Unfortunately, not all athletes or nations live the Olympic idea. Time and time again, political conflicts lead to tensions in sport. This can even be seen in judo, one of the most honourable sports.

At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, an Egyptian judoka refused to give his Israeli opponent the customary, but not mandatory, ‘handshake’ after the fight. He was warned by the IOC Disciplinary Commission and the Egyptian Olympic Committee was asked to educate their athletes about Olympic values in the future. As a result, the athlete was sent home by his own sports federation.

At the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, an Algerian judoka went one step further and refused to fight his second-round match against an Israeli judoka. The judoka and his coach were both banned for 10 years by the International Judo Federation for gross unsportsmanlike behaviour, which meant the end of the judoka’s international career.

At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, an Algerian judoka would have faced an Israeli judoka again in the first round in the category up to 73 kg. The Algerian judoka turned up for the weigh-in 10 minutes before the closing time and exceeded the permitted weight by 400 grams. He was therefore not allowed to compete. Did the Algerian judoka also not want to compete against the Israeli judoka and thought that unprofessional behaviour could not be punished? It is possible that the judoka will now be penalised for this gluttonous action: The International Judo Federation launched an investigation after an Algerian newspaper praised the judoka for „skillfully avoiding the Israeli opponent“ and a sponsor of the Algerian athlete noted on Facebook that the judoka had won everyone’s respect because honour and the (Palestinian) cause came before everything else.

We will see whether the International Judo Federation will take action here.