PARIS -- The International Judo Federation will launch an investigation into why Algeria's Messaoud Redouane Dris failed his weigh-in before a bout with Israel's Tohar Butbul -- which could be part of a pattern of sportsmanship issues.
An IJF spokesperson told ESPN those questions would be answered in due time. The investigation is expected to take place at the conclusion of the Olympics, and the federation said further action will be taken if needed. Dris' disqualification marked the third time an opponent has not faced Butbul over the past two Olympics.
"We believe that sport should remain a realm of integrity and fairness, free from the influences of international conflicts," the IJF said in a statement. "Unfortunately, athletes often become victims of broader political disputes which are against the values of sport."
The Algerian federation did not immediately respond to comment when contacted by ESPN.
"I think the Algerian athletes and all the Muslim athletes cannot go to the fight with Israeli athletes," Butbul told reporters. "I think they are the victims in this thing. They won't let them compete, even though they are athletes. I really wanted to do the fight with him, and it has not happened. Maybe next Olympics we will meet again and we can do it."
Butbul lost Monday to top-ranked Hidayat Heydarov of Azerbaijan. The 30-year-old is expected to compete in the mixed team event Saturday.
According to the IJF, Dris arrived at his weigh-in Sunday 10 minutes before the deadline and was disqualified from the under-73kg bout because he was overweight by 400 grams. Such disqualifications aren't necessarily uncommon. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, four judoka athletes failed weigh-ins. However, this isn't the first incident involving controversy and Israeli athletes in the sport. On Sunday, both Abderrahmane Boushita of Morocco and Nurali Emomali of Tajikistan refused to shake the hand of Israel's Baruch Shmailov in the under-66kg event.
In Tokyo, another Algerian, Fethi Nourine withdrew from the Olympics to avoid a potential fight against Butbul in the second round. Nourine and his coach are now serving a 10-year ban by the IJF; Nourine had said he could not compete against Butbul because supporting Palestine was more important to him. Sudan's Mohamed Abdalrasool did not show up for his match with Butbul in Tokyo either, despite having completed his weigh-in.
Geopolitical tensions are heightened at the Paris Olympics as the war in Gaza continues. Of Israel's 88 athletes at the Olympics, 12 compete in judo. The Israelis are receiving extra security from Olympic organizers after a far-left French lawmaker called for the country's exclusion then encouraged a "mobilization" to support Palestine. However French President Emmanuel Macron said ahead of the Games that Israeli athletes were welcome in France, and the interior minister ordered increased 24-hour security for the Israeli Olympians days before the opening ceremony.
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