RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Middle Eastern politics spilled onto the judo mat Friday at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics when an Egyptian competitor refused to shake hands with the Israeli who beat him.
Islam El Shehaby, an ultraconservative Salafi Muslim, had come under pressure before the games from Islamist-leaning and nationalist voices in Egypt to withdraw from the first-round heavyweight bout against Or Sasson.
With about a minute and a half left in the bout, Sasson earned an automatic victory with two throws of El Shehaby.
The Egyptian lay flat on his back for a moment before rising and standing opposite Sasson in front of the referee.