A Judo athlete at the Paris Olympics opted not to shake hands with his Israeli counterpart after their match, a customary gesture in the sport, and faced what some X users described as immediate repercussions.
Tajikistani Judoka Nurali Emomali declined to shake hands with Israeli athlete Tohar Butbul after their round of 16 match on Sunday, which he won. Instead of following tradition, Emomali walked off the mat.
Before exiting the mat, it was noted by X users that he exclaimed, “Allahu Akbar” while displaying a prayer sign known as the “Finger of Tawheed,” symbolizing the Islamic declaration that “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His prophet.”
Shortly after, Emomali faced Japanese Olympian Hifumi Abe, leading to a devastating conclusion. During the match, Abe threw Emomali to the ground, resulting in extreme injury as Emomali’s left arm dislocated upon impact.
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Judoka Nurali Emomali of Tajikistan suffered a serious arm injury during the Paris Olympics. (Getty)
Due to the seriousness of his injury, Emomali had to be assisted off the mat by Olympic personnel.
Many social media users referred to it as instant karma for his unsportsmanlike behavior in not shaking hands with his opponent earlier.
“Bad sport Nurali Emomali from Tajikistan refused to shake hands with Israeli judo competitor Baruch Shmailov and shouted ‘Allah Akbar.’ Emomali ended up with a dislocated shoulder, crying on the mat. Olympic levels of karma,” stated Michael Dickinson, executive director of the pro-Israel organization StandWithUs.
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“Karma is a b—h,” remarked Emily Schrader, a pro-Israel influencer.
The Israeli judoka, Butbul, is moving on to another round on Monday after his Algerian opponent, Messaoud Redouane Dris, withdrew from the competition, according to reports from the Times of Israel.
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