Judo Federation may punish Israeli Olympic medalist over controversial post

The International Judo Federation is considering sanctions against a recent Israeli Olympic bronze medalist due to allegations of supporting the ongoing conflict, according to Swiss media reports.

Swiss newspaper "Le Matin" reported on a now-deleted social media post by the athlete. The post allegedly showed artillery shells with the caption "From me to you, with pleasure."

The athlete, who served as Israel's flag bearer at the Olympics, has faced criticism and calls for boycott. Adding to the controversy, the judoka's coach, Oren Smadja, lost his son, an IDF corporal, in the conflict.

Upon returning to Israel, the medalist addressed the controversy: "I went through a challenging period in the months leading up to the Paris games. There were various issues on social media, attacks, and privacy invasions."

The athlete continued, "They took a post of mine from the start of the war and tried to circulate a petition, signed by people from multiple hostile countries, attempting to boycott me. When it was announced that I would be the flag bearer, the situation intensified."

This controversy unfolds against the backdrop of ongoing tensions related to the conflict in Gaza. It's worth noting that the Swiss report did not mention the October 7th attacks on Israel.

The International Judo Federation has not yet announced any official decision regarding potential sanctions against the Israeli athlete.

* Israel HaYom contributed to this article.