Saudi Judoka Given Permission to Face Israeli in Tokyo

A Saudi Arabian judoka was given permission by the Saudi Olympic delegation to compete against an Israeli athlete, the London-based Saudi daily Al-Sharq A-Awsat reported. Tahani Al-Qahtani is scheduled to face Israeli judoka Raz Hershko on July 30.

The reason for the decision, according to the daily, is to spare the Saudi star and the Judo Federation any international Olympic sanctions that the International Olympic Committee might impose for such an infraction.  The decision comes after an Algerian and a Sudanese athlete withdrew from competition instead of facing Israeli athletes.

Dr. Nabil Al-Hassan, vice president of the Saudi Judo Federation, told Arshaq Al-Awsat that the decision also was made in order to reduce pressure on the young athlete and to allow her to gain experience looking ahead to the Paris Olympics in 2024. He pointed out that Qahtani is at the start of her career and that such pressure is difficult, but that it is important to encourage her and to trust her.

Meanwhile, two Egyptian taekwondo athletes, Hedaya Wahba and Seif Eissa, have won bronze medals in Tokyo. Tunisian swimmer Ahmed Hafnaoui, 18, on Monday won a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle race. He joins fellow countryman  Mohamed Khalil Jendoubi, who won a silver medal in taekwondo over the weekend. Kuwait’s Abdullah Al-Rashidi on Monday won a bronze medal in the skeet shooting. It is the second bronze for Rashidi, who is 57 and has competed in 6 other Olympic games since 1996.