Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions – Malaysia (BDS Malaysia) noted that on 24th July 2021, an athlete in the judo event named Fethi Nourine from Algeria was suspended from the Olympics in Tokyo and sent back to his country following his refusal to compete in a match against an athlete from Israel.
Fethi Nourine stated that his action was to support the Palestinian liberation struggle.
BDS Malaysia salutes the stance and actions of Fethi Nourine because the boycott of the apartheid state of Israel is something that is very justified due to its ongoing human rights violations against Palestinians, which have been ongoing for more than seven decades.
BDS Malaysia would like to emphasize that all countries should boycott the apartheid state of Israel and that country should also not be allowed to participate in the Olympics, just as apartheid-era South Africa was banned from participating in the Olympics and any international sporting events until its oppressive apartheid policies were eradicated.
Indeed, fighting the crime against humanity of apartheid is a cause far higher and more noble than just taking part in sporting events even at the Olympics level.
Fethi Nourine, we salute your moral courage and hope it will inspire many others.
BDS Malaysia
27 July 2021