TRIPOLI (MEMO) – The Libyan national team has refused to face opponents from the Zionist regime at the World Fencing Championships in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
The national team was to face the occupying regime according to the official draw, however, the athletes and staff decided to pull out from the final competition rather than face the Zionist team.
Libya is currently ranked second in Africa and 19 globally in the classification of the game.
“The national team was to face Israel according to the official draw. However, the athletes and staff decided to pull out of the games rather than face the Israeli opponent,” Libya Observer wrote on its website.
The withdrawal comes as a number of Arab athletes have so far avoided facing Zionists in the international competition in support of the Palestinian cause despite their government’s decision to normalize relations with the occupying regime.
Eyas al-Zamer, a Jordanian fencer, was set to take part in the junior men’s foil contests of the international professional championship for young competitors in the UAE but decided to withdraw, one week after another Kuwaiti fencing player pulled out of the competition for the same reason.
Kuwaiti fencing player Mohammad al-Fadli refused to face a Zionist opponent in the group stage of the World Fencing Championships. This is not the first time al-Fadli had withdrawn from an international tournament in support of Palestine. In September 2019, he withdrew from games in the Dutch capital Amsterdam, after the lottery had placed him in a group competing with a Zionist player.
Many athletes have over the years boycotted games in order not to face Zionists because of the regime’s crimes against Palestinians and its occupation of Palestinian territories.
The UAE and Bahrain normalized relations with the Zionist regime, following Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.
The normalization deals have sparked widespread protests in these countries, pointing to the overwhelming divide between the rulers and the people.
The deals have also been condemned by all Palestinian political factions, which have termed them as a betrayal of their cause.