The claim: Algerian judo athlete withdrew from Olympics before match against Israeli opponent
A July 28 Instagram post ( direct link , archive link ) shows Algerian Olympic athlete Messaoud Dris.
"The 22 year old Algerian judoka, Messaoud Redouane Dris withdrew from the Olympics 2024 in Paris, refusing to face an ‘Israeli’ opponent," reads the post's caption.
The post garnered more than 300,000 likes in a day. Other versions of the claim were shared on Instagram , Facebook and X, formerly Twitter .
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The International Judo Foundation said the athlete was disqualified because he failed his weigh-in. He didn't withdraw from the match.
Judo athlete disqualified after weigh-in
The Algerian athlete was scheduled to face Israel's Tohar Butbul at the Paris Olympics but was disqualified prior to their July 29 judo match , according to information released by the International Judo Federation. He did not withdraw from the match.
According to a July 29 statement released by the federation, Dris was disqualified during his official weigh-in the day before for being 400 grams overweight, a little less than a pound. The federation said this type of disqualification "can occur at any competition" and noted four athletes similarly failed to pass their weigh-ins during the Tokyo Olympics.
But the missed weight raised questions, given that Algerian athlete Fethi Nourine received a 10-year ban from the federation in 2021 when he withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics to avoid facing off against Butbul. Nourine said his support for the Palestinian cause made it impossible for him to compete against the Israeli.
"Following the Olympic Games, a full review and investigation of the situation will be conducted and further action will be taken if needed," the IJF said in the statement on Monday .
Algeria does not formally recognize the State of Israel and has shown support for Palestinians throughout the war in Gaza, sending humanitarian aid and calling for an end to Israel's occupation in the region.
USA TODAY reached out to the federation for comment but didn't immediately receive a response.
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USA TODAY reached out to the Algerian Judo Federation and the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Judo athlete failed weigh-in, didn't withdraw from Olympics | Fact check
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