Judo respect breached: two athletes suspended in Algeria
The Algerian Judo Federation has imposed immediate sanctions after an incident disrupted the final day of the Senior National Championships in Oran.
Two female judoka competing in the women’s -78kg bronze medal contest have been suspended and removed from the event following what officials described as behaviour that “fell outside the established sporting framework”.
What happened on the tatami
The clash began during a regular exchange. The athlete in blue initiated a drop seoi-nage and both competitors went to the mat. From there, the blue judoka appeared to apply a collar choke against her taller opponent.
The situation escalated when the competitor in white stood up visibly agitated and pushed her opponent forcefully in the chest with both hands.
As the blue judoka rose, seemingly attempting to defuse the situation, the athlete in white jumped onto her back in what resembled an attempt at a rear choke. The action quickly deteriorated into a disorganised headlock. Rather than executing a controlled submission, the athlete in white drove her opponent’s face into the tatami and struck her again.
The sequence shocked spectators and officials alike.
Immediate disciplinary action
Tournament organisers intervened promptly. Both athletes were suspended on the spot and eliminated from further participation.
In a statement addressed to the Algerian judo community, the federation underlined that such conduct has no place in the sport. Judo, founded by Jigoro Kano, is rooted in principles of respect, self-control and moral development, not merely physical victory.
Officials reminded athletes and clubs that “rei” – mutual respect – is the foundation of judo and frames every contest from bow to bow.
While acknowledging the seriousness of the incident, the federation stressed that it was an isolated case and does not reflect the values upheld by Algerian judo clubs or their athletes.
The message from Oran was clear: discipline and respect remain non-negotiable on the tatami.
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