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New York, NY, October 31, 2018 … ADL today commended the United Arab Emirates for upholding their commitment to ensure the fair treatment of Israeli athletes at the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam judo tournament.
In 2017, tournament organizers refused to identify Israel by name, display its flag, or play its anthem when Israeli athletes won gold medals. ADL criticized this treatment in a letter to the head of the International Judo Federation, after which the tournament was suspended this year until the UAE Judo Federation committed to the fair treatment of all athletes, regardless of national origin.
ADL Senior Vice President for International Affairs Sharon Nazarian issued the following statement:
We are pleased to see the United Arab Emirates hosting an international judo tournament this year that treats all athletes, including Israeli athletes, fairly and without discrimination on the basis of national origin. In contrast to last year, we were moved to see Israeli athletes competing under the Israeli flag and hearing the Israeli anthem at medal ceremonies. The UAE’s decision to grant a visa to Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev was a particularly impressive decision and a brave signal in favor of fairness and openness.