Controversy at Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Ceremony

Kuwait’s Jiu-Jitsu gold medalist Jassim Al-Hatem made headlines recently when he refused to shake hands with Israel’s bronze medalist Yoav Manar during the medal ceremony in Abu Dhabi. Following the incident, Al-Hatem defended his actions in an Arabic video that circulated on social media, referring to Israel as a “Zionist entity” and asserting that Muslim men “must have principles.”

During the men’s blue belt amateur under-77kg category of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour, Manar achieved the bronze after winning three out of four matches, while Al-Hatem won the gold with a clean sweep.

Things turned tense during the awards ceremony.

Al-Hatem not only declined to shake Manar’s hand but also opted out of the customary photo session with the medalists. A member of the Israeli team recounted that Al-Hatem voiced his disapproval loudly, stating, “You Israelis kill children,” and mentioned that he wouldn’t have faced Manar if there had been an Israeli player in the final.

Al-Hatem maintained that Manar was attempting to portray him as the victim by reaching out physically. He stressed, “I told him clearly, ‘I don’t want to know you, I don’t want to say hello. I want you to be on my side, and I’ll stay on mine.’” The exchange didn’t strike him as a moment of sportsmanship at all, emphasizing that, “We don’t respect these types.” He further declared, “As Kuwaitis, we have no respect for them at all.”

It certainly raises questions about the idea of keeping politics separate from sports.

In a broader discussion, Al-Hatem expressed his belief that athletes should not detach international competition from political realities. “Even if they say sports are separate from politics, there is no separation,” he insisted, citing Russia’s exclusion from the Olympics as evidence.

Meanwhile, Yoav Manar remained composed amid the tension. The Israeli delegation reported that despite efforts by organizers to de-escalate the situation and encourage Al-Hatem to join the ceremony, he chose to stay away. Manar focused on his achievement, a bronze medal at a high-profile international event.

Amir Boalon, the coach of Israel’s national jiu-jitsu team, noted that Manar had indeed tried to shake hands with Al-Hatem and expressed the importance of maintaining an athlete’s spirit. Arik Kaplan, president of Israel’s non-Olympic sports federation, commended Manar for demonstrating “character, discipline and values.”

This episode underlines the complexities of international sports, suggesting that the notion of unity through competition can sometimes be just that—a notion, rather than reality.