Saudi judoka earns praise for facing Israeli opponent at Tokyo Olympics

Tahani Alqahtani is the first Saudi woman to compete in judo at the Olympics, bucking the trend of Middle Eastern and North African athletes refusing to face Israelis at the games.
Israel's Raz Hershko (blue) and Saudi Arabia's Tahani Alqahtani compete in the judo women's +78kg elimination round bout during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.
Israel's Raz Hershko (blue) and Saudi Arabia's Tahani Alqahtani compete in the judo women's +78 kg elimination round bout during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan, July 30, 2021. - Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images
Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East
Al-Monitor Staff

The global governing body of judo praised a Saudi Olympian on Friday for agreeing to compete against an Israeli opponent. 

The International Judo Federation said that Saudi Arabia demonstrated that sports can bring people together.

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