An Israel advocacy group has reported the Palestinian Judo federation and its chairman to the sport’s governing body for praising an Algerian competitor who refused to fight an Israeli. 

In this year's delayed Olympic Games in Tokyo, competitor Fethi Nourine refused to fight against his Israeli opponent, earning him a ten-year ban from the sport. He later announced his retirement from Judo, whilst reiterating his support for an Israeli boycott. 

According to Palestinian reports seen by UK Lawyers for Israel, the Palestinian Judo federation chairman Jihad Uweida contacted Mr. Nourine and told him that his group as well as the Palestinian embassy organise a ceremony to honour him. 

Uweida has previously refused to support sporting competitions with Israeli athletes.  He was interviewed on Palestinian Authority television saying:   "I understand by normalization that the relationship between me and you will be normal, that we'll play together and there'll be a joint program. I say to you: Under no circumstances will there be normalization."

Sam Green, a director of UKLFI commented: “When the IJF banned Fethi Nourine for 10 years for his boycott of Israel, this was in keeping with IJF’s role as an exemplar in fighting boycotts and discrimination. The attitude of Mr Uweida and the Palestinian Judo Federation is a challenge to the decision of the IJF and in direct confrontation to the message intended by it.”