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Saudi judoka Tahani Al-Qahtani commented on the controversy over her huge loss to Israeli competitor Raz Hershko in the over 78kg category at the Tokyo Olympics on Friday.
Al-Qahtani, 21, suffered a crushing loss to Hershko, 23, in the match that brought them together in the 32nd round of the women’s competitions over 78kg.
“It was a normal match, Al-Qahtani told AFP after the match. I lost, but my feelings are normal and it is ultimately a sport.”
Asked about the controversy surrounding the meeting, Al-Qahtani added, “I’m not interested. I’ve turned off my phone for the past two days.”
She said with a laugh that she “had shaken hands with the player three times”, hinting that she was waiting for what the reaction will be now on social media, stressing that she is now looking “to the future there is other competitions, and I may be in Paris 2024. “
Members of the Saudi mission to Japan declined to comment on the game, saying only that “Tahani played and lost.”
This confrontation contrasts with the wave of withdrawals announced by many Arab and Muslim athletes with Israeli players.
| Saudi judoka Tahani Al-Qahtani completed her first Olympic Games appearance after losing in the final of the judo competition π₯
All the best for the next articles, God willing π# Tokyo2020#we are all_saudia πΈπ¦ pic.twitter.com/r2gdrjTQMS
– Saudi Olympic | Saudi Olympic (@saudiolympic) July 30, 2021
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Al-Qahtani’s confrontation with Hershko caught the attention of the Saudis, who were split between supporters and opponents of participation, but officially the encouragement to Al-Qahtani was clear, with no mention of Israel.
Some, in comments on the communication sites, felt that the match was part of an international sporting event and should not be involved in political issues, while others felt that it was ‘enshrined in Arab hostility with Israel, and which Al-Qahtani should have withdrawn.
“Al-Qahtani has come to the Tokyo Olympics to participate in this great event, which is an honor that every athlete wishes,” said the vice president of the Saudi Judo Federation.
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He added that he was only considering “the appearance of Musharraf in the third participation of Saudi women in judo at the Olympics”.
Al-Qahtani is the third Saudi woman to compete in the Judo Olympics after Wejdan Shahkhani in London 2012 and Fahmy’s presence in Rio 2016.
Arab or Muslim players have always withdrawn from international tournaments, refusing to face Israeli players and supporting the cause of the Palestinian people.
As part of the clash of Israeli players, Algerian judoka Fathi Noureen withdrew from the clash of Sudanese Muhammad Abdul Rasoul, “in support of the Palestinian cause” to avoid the possibility of playing with Israeli Tohar Botbol in the weight of 73 kg. , he therefore withdrew his accreditation from his trainer Ammar bin Khalif.
Abdel Rasoul, whose country recently reached a normalization deal with Israel, was also absent from Botbol’s match, while the Sudanese Olympic Committee announced yesterday, Thursday, that he was absent for “a ruptured lumbar ligaments lower back “.
Arab or Muslim players have always withdrawn from international tournaments, refusing to face Israeli players and supporting the cause of the Palestinian people.
Source: AFP
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