Grand Slam Abu Dhabi includes Israeli team but under IJF flag

The IJF World Judo Tour has arrived in the Middle East for the fourth Grand Slam of the season as Olympic and world champions enter the fray at the IPIC Arena from Thursday 26 to Saturday 28 October. The new about the Israeli team dominated the start of the Grand Slam. The Israeli team can only fight under the IJF flag in the UAE. The team of twelve athletes arrived in Abu Dhabi one hour later than planned as the visas were not available and the flight was gone by then.

The International Judo Federation is demanding that at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam, “all delegations, including the Israeli delegation, shall be treated absolutely equally in all aspects, without any exception.”

The International Judo Federation (IJF) sent a letter to the United Arab Emirates Judo Federation demanding that “all delegations, including the Israeli delegation, shall be treated absolutely equally in all aspects, without any exception.”

Abu Dhabi is barring Israel’s judo team from donning national symbols and playing the Jewish state’s national anthem during a major tournament in the country.

IJF President Marius Vizer sent a letter to UAE Judo Federation President Mohamed Bin Thalub, notifying him that “the IJF Statutes clearly provide that the ‘IJF shall not discriminate on the ground of race, religion, gender or political opinion’…According to these principles, which are binding for the entire Olympic Movement including of course the IJF and all national federations and other entities involved in the organisation of any judo sports event, there may not be any discrimination of any kind at any event organised by or supervised by the IJF, including of course the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam.”

On Wednesday the draw took place and all twelve athletes could participate like in 2015 but also then under the IJF flag where Yarden Gerbi and Sagi Muki medalled with bronze. Sagi Muki will start on Friday U81kg. In the team as well Olympic bronze medallist Or Sasson.