Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 77kg gold medalist Jassim Alhatem refused to shake Israeli bronze medalist Yoav Manor’s hand during Friday’s medal ceremony and then declined to join the traditional winners’ photo.
Alhatem later defended the snub in a social-media video, calling Israel the “Zionist entity” and saying Muslim athletes “must have a principle” rather than separate sports from politics.
Israeli delegation members said Alhatem told Manor, “You Israelis kill children,” and said he would not have competed against him had Manor reached the final.
Manor, who won three of four bouts for bronze, stayed on the podium; his delegation said Emirati organizers tried to calm the situation and persuade Alhatem to complete the ceremony.
The incident underscored how the Israel-Gaza war continues to spill into international sport, despite competition protocols built around sportsmanship and neutral conduct.
As governments pursue peace deals, are their athletes now fighting political battles on the podium?
Are sports bodies applying a double standard by sanctioning some political protests but not others?