According to the Egyptian Masry Alyoum news site, he has claimed his loss to Or Sasson was due “to the stress and pressure from the media before the match.” As if he would have won otherwise.
But that’s not all. According to the Arabic site Almogaz, he has claimed his Israeli opponent Or Sasson deliberately tried to embarrass him by approaching him. As if his handshake was not genuine, and in accordance with judo etiquette and good sportsmanship.
And he claims he never broke the rules of judo with his disgraceful actions.
“Shaking the hand of your opponent is not an obligation written in the judo rules. It happens between friends and he’s not my friend,” L’Esprit du Judo quoted El Shehaby as saying.
“I have no problem with Jewish people or any other religion or different beliefs. But for personal reasons, you can’t ask me to shake the hand of anyone from this State, especially in front of the whole world,” he said.
Sounds to me like he never intended to shake Or’s hand. Yet he simultaneously claims his refusal was a spur-of-the-moment decision (perhaps because the IOC has opened a disciplinary commission following the incident, and he realizes claiming it was in the heat of the moment might mitigate any penalty he will receive).
I don’t know what world El Shahaby thinks he is living in, but given he is an ultraconservative Salafi Muslim, it is not one you or I would want to be part of.
