The atmosphere at the Paris Olympics has continued to grow increasingly divisive after a Tajikistan judo competitor used the event to yell out aggressive Islamic statements
Judoka Nurali Emomali of Tajikistan refused to shake his Israeli competitor’s hand after the match, as is customary.
He then proceeded to shout Islamic statements typically associated with acts of terrorism.
However, he was hit with immediate karma, according to X users.
Emomali sparked a backlash when he refused to shake hands with his Israeli opponent, Tohar Butbul.
The disrespectful moment came following their match in the round of 16 on Sunday.
Emomali, who won the match, chose to walk off the mat without the customary post-match gesture.
Before he left the mat, he yelled out “Allahu Akbar” while holding up a prayer symbol.
As X users pointed out, the symbol is known as the “Finger of Tawheed.”
It refers to the Islamic belief that “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His prophet.”
Shortly after, Emomali competed against Japanese Olympian Hifumi Abe, which ended in a brutal fashion.
At the end of the match, Abe slammed Emomali to the ground.
Emomali reached his left arm towards the ground, but the force of the fall, and the weight of Abe, caused his arm to bend and dislocate.
The Islamic competitor had to be carried out by Olympic staff members due to the severity of his injury.
Social media users called it instant karma for bad sportsmanship for refusing to shake hands with his opponent in the prior match.
Nurali Emomali from Tajikistan refused to shake hands with Israeli judo competitor Baruch Shmailov and shouted “Allah Akbar”.
Nurali ended up with a dislocated shoulder crying on the mat.
End this madness. The idea of sports is to become one and put aside our differences. pic.twitter.com/BKpNdlkVoM
— Afshine Emrani MD FACC (@afshineemrani) July 28, 2024
Michael Dickinson, the executive director of the pro-Israel group StandWithUs, said in a post:
“Bad sport Nurali Emomali from Tajikistan refused to shake hands with Israeli judo competitor Baruch Shmailov and shouted ‘Allah Akbar.’
“Emomali ended up with a dislocated shoulder crying on the mat.
“Olympic levels of karma.”
Bad sport Nurali Emomali from Tajikistan refused to shake hands with Israeli judo competitor Baruch Shmailov and shouted “Allah Akbar”. Nurali ended up with a dislocated shoulder crying on the mat. Olympic levels of karma. #Olympics pic.twitter.com/rLrzXAkW8C
— Michael Dickson (@michaeldickson) July 28, 2024
“Karma is a b—h,” said Emily Schrader, a pro-Israel influencer.
Karma’s a b****
Tajikistan’s Nurali Emomali refused to shake hands with Israeli judoka Baruch Shmailov and shouted “Allahu Akbar.”
In the next round, he ended up with a dislocated shoulder, sobbing on the mat pic.twitter.com/Byh3Kcxbpx
— Emily Schrader – אמילי שריידר امیلی شریدر (@emilykschrader) July 28, 2024
The Israeli judoka, Butbul, is advancing to another round on Monday, the Times of Israel reported.
Butbul’s luck changed when an Algerian opponent, Messaoud Redouane Dris, dropped out of the competition.
