Algerian judoka disqualified before facing Israeli

Algerian judoka Messaoud Redouane Dris has been disqualified from the Olympic Games after failing the weigh-in for his -73kg bout against Israeli competitor Tohar Butbul.

Dris exceeded the weight limit, leading to his removal from the competition and a walkover victory for Butbul.

The Algerian Judo Federation and national Olympic committee have not yet commented.

The Israeli Olympic Committee criticized the disqualification as deliberate, reflecting tensions similar to those seen in the 2021 Tokyo Games when another Algerian judoka, Fethi Nourine, received a 10-year ban for withdrawing from a match against Butbul due to political reasons.