As per policies by global sporting bodies, all host nations of such events are required to grant access without discrimination to its venues.

A prominent Qatar-based pro-Palestine group has issued a statement to condemn the participation of 17 Israeli athletes at this year’s World Judo Championships, set to take place in Doha in May.

Qatar Youth Opposed to Normalisation (QAYON) urged for authorities in Doha to suspend the judokas from the tournament, in a move that has garnered widespread support among the public.

“QAYON condemns the decision to allow this Zionist participation and calls for its immediate retraction and the refusal to grant the representatives of the Zionist entity entry visas to the State of Qatar,” the Doha-based entity said.

QAYON slammed the announcement as yet another form of “sports normalisation.”

“We condemn and denounce sports normalisation because it reinforces the practices of the Israeli occupation and its crimes in occupied Palestine and contributes to the continuity of this occupation by normalizing its presence on Arab soil,” QAYON added.

Doha News has reached out to local authorities for a comment on the matter but has yet to receive a response.

The news sent shockwaves across social media given Qatar’s refusal to normalise with the occupying state.

However, as per policies by global sporting bodies, all host nations of such events are required to grant access without discrimination to its venues.

In 2021, 13 Israeli judokas, one of whom – Sagi Muki – is a former sergeant in the Israeli army, participated at the World Judo Masters.

“Through its participation in sports, cultural and other forums, the Zionist entity seeks to impose its legitimacy and present a false human image that contradicts the reality of its daily violations, terrorist behavior and continuous oppression of the Palestinians,” QAYON said.

The Doha-based body has also called on the people of Qatar to boycott the sporting event.

“The reality of the crimes of the Zionist entity is no secret to anyone. This occupier is not ashamed of displacing millions, killing and arresting Palestinians, especially children, on a daily basis,” QAYON said.

Notably, Qatar had refused to establish direct flights between Doha and Tel Aviv during the 2022 FIFA World Cup and pressed Israel to allow Palestinians to travel to the Gulf state for the tournament.

Doha also refused to open a mission for Israeli visitors, including media, who came to the country for the event.

Disturbing history

In 2019, players representing Israel participated at the World Athletics Championships. The same year also saw Israeli players at the International Gymnastics Federation Artistic World Cup, where the Israeli national anthem was recited.

Some of the participants at this year’s judo championship had served in the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), which is accused by rights groups of actively killing thousands of Palestinians.

Muki, who participated at the previous championship, is among the athletes taking part in the May tournament.

He will join Judoka Peter Paltchik, who previously served in the occupation’s Air Force and took part in spreading Israel’s inaccurate narrative on the disturbing reality of Palestinians under occupation.

On social media, Paltchik often post images of him worshiping at the Al Aqsa Mosque, where hundreds of thousands of Muslim Palestinians are often barred from entering and even attacked.

Paltchik took to Instagram to “praise” IOF soldiers in “maintaining peace” as they attacked the holy site and launched a devastating bombing campaign in Gaza that killed at least 250 Palestinians including 66 children.

“The security forces have been working hours and hours in the field and most of them have not seen their families for many days, doing everything they can to do their job on the best side and to maintain society and public order in all this chaos,” he said in May 2021.

Meanwhile, Judoka Baruch Shmailov also served in the Israeli army and Gefen Primo was enlisted at the Israeli Air Force in 2019.

Meanwhile, Israel has long attempted to isolate Palestinians from sports, hindering numerous teams from being able to train and play locally and internationally.

Palestinian footballers struggle to find locations to play matches due to the destruction of facilities across Palestinian lands by Israeli forces. Restrictions and checkpoints also mean it is difficult for players to gather.

Last month, ​​Israel attacked some 2,000 Palestinians during a football game.

Footage that circulated online showed Palestinian players and fans being tear-gassed, with many cases of suffocation being reported.

In 2019, Israel essentially cancelled the FIFA Palestine Cup by denying Gazan players travel permits.