Long Live the Olympic Idea
Egyptian judoka Islam El Shehaby has been sent home from the Olympics after he refused to shake the hand of Israeli opponent Or Sasson after their bout.
The 34-year-old was "strongly reprimanded" by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after his first-round loss on Friday.
The IOC say his conduct was "against the spirit of friendship embodied in the Olympic values".
The Egyptian Olympic Committee condemned El Shehaby and sent him home.
El Shehaby was roundly booed by the crowd and was called back to the stage for his failure to bow to his opponent as it contravenes judo rules.
Sasson later revealed his coaches had warned him El Shehaby might refuse to shake his hand. The Egyptian had come under pressure from some conservative voices in his homeland to withdraw from the bout. [BBC]
Hats off to the Egyptian Olympic Committee!
Enamor, it is the Olympic Games, and the Olympic idea s to lay down weapons if you want to participate in the games. This rule exists since the year 400 BC. This guy is breaking this rule. Who is he? - In my view he has just disqualified himself from being taken seriously. I would rather call him a stupid terrorist. He has achieved nothing except your applause.
Sending him home was a good decision. We should separate sports from politics. It is as if the Israeli Olympian was involved in the atrocities committed on Palestinians.
Enamor: A valid point.. However, if he had felt so strongly, he should not have fought his oponent in the first place..
One could say that he only refused because he lost!
Whatever. They think he is wrong but as a mother n human being I feel personally he did right thing. My husband feels you are right. See I may not agree with you but we all have different opinions. Isn't it?
So, this player's got "guts". Well, then let him gut somewhere else. If you are in Rome behave like a Roman. If you participate in the Olympics behave like an Olympian. I understand that you, Enamor, are also without any decent behavior.
Enamor: "The Egyptian Olympic Committee condemned El Shehaby and sent him home."
He lost , so he was going home anyway..
I believe that he was rightly shamed ... Not a very olympian spirit
He is sent back by his team not by the Olympic Committee.
No games are more than humanity. Whatever Israel is doing in Palestine in condemnable and atleast this players got guts.
When your house is burning n bleeding how can u shake hands with those who are behind the game.
If my kid is suffering than how can I shake hands with the culprits in the name of games.
Atleast one single player got guts to show the world what Israel is doing Palestanians.
Where United Nations is blind one single player showed the mirror to the whole world.