Islam El Shehaby Refuses Handshake After 1st-Round Judo Loss to Or Sasson

Egyptian judoka Islam El Shehaby drew the ire of those in attendance at the 2016 Rio Olympics on Friday when he refused to shake the hand of Israel's Or Sasson following a first-round loss.

According to the Associated Press (h/t the Los Angeles Times), El Shehaby ignored Sasson's attempt to shake hands, which went against the tradition that judo participants shake hands or bow before and after matches.

By virtue of the victory, Sasson moved on to the round of 16 and has continued to advance to the semifinals of the men's heavyweight tournament against France's Teddy Riner.

With a huge match and a potential shot at Israel's first-ever gold medal in men's judo on the line, Israeli ambassador Arthur Lenk suggested that observers should focus on the positives:

Per Rob Harris of the Associated Press, a judo official said that while El Shehaby was not obligated to shake Sasson's hand, he was required to bow at the very least.

It is unclear what potential punishment El Shehaby or Egyptian judo as a whole could face, but his hopes of medaling were dashed regardless due to Sasson's decisive performance in the quarterfinals.

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