Hommam Al Nassim 
Egyptian judo player Karim Ibrahim Sobhi withdrew from the World Judo Championship, announcing his refusal to face an Israeli player.
Sobhi explained that he faces great challenges in reconciling his academic commitments with the national team’s training, especially during the preparation period for the tournament.
He explained that he was the youngest player in the tournament, and this was his first participation in this global event, indicating that he did not know in advance that he would face an Israeli player in the competitions.
Sobhi said that this experience was new for him, and he dreamed of winning “and achieving something in this tournament,” explaining that he informed his coach before making the decision to withdraw and stressed that he does not regret his decision and that he still has many opportunities in the upcoming tournaments to make up for this decision and achieve victory.
It is noteworthy that the process of withdrawal of Arab athletes from facing Israeli competitors during international competitions began in 1991, and continued for more than 30 years, starting with the withdrawal of the African champion in Algerian judo, Meziane Dahmani, from the World Judo Championship in Barcelona to the withdrawal of Karim Ibrahim Sobhi from the same tournament. Championship in Abu Dhabi 2024.
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