Sports

Saudi judoka earns praise for facing Israeli opponent at Tokyo Olympics

Tahani Alqahtani is the first Saudi woman to compete in judo at the Olympics, bucking the trend of Middle Eastern and North African athletes refusing to face Israelis at the games.

Al-Monitor Staff | News Brief | Jul 30, 2021

Israel's Raz Hershko (blue) and Saudi Arabia's Tahani Alqahtani compete in the judo women's +78 kg elimination round bout during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan, July 30, 2021.

Controversial cleric’s ‘modesty call’ to Turkish volleyball team bounces back at him

Following a victory by the Turkish women's volleyball team over China at the Tokyo Olympics, the all-too-familiar debate on women’s decency and clothes raised its head when a cleric urged the players to observe modesty in dress and behavior.

Nazlan Ertan | Turkey | Jul 27, 2021

Team Turkey celebrates after defeating Team China during the Women's Preliminary - Pool B on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Arena on July 25, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

Sudanese judoka refuses to face Israeli opponent

Some athletes in the Middle East and North Africa face domestic pressures to refuse to face Israelis in competition.

Al-Monitor Staff | News Brief | Jul 26, 2021

Tohar Butbul of Team Israel and Arthur Margelidon of Team Canada compete during the Men’s Judo 73kg Repechage contest on day three of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Nippon Budokan on July 26, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

Israeli soccer club calls off match with Barcelona in Jerusalem

Faced with pressure by pro-Palestinian elements, Barcelona preferred having its soccer game against Beitar Jerusalem canceled, rather than play in Jerusalem.

Afif Abu Much | Israel | Jul 16, 2021

Atletico Madrid's French midfielder Thomas Lemar (R) is marked by Beitar's midfielder Dan Einbinder during the friendly soccer match between Beitar Jerusalem and Atletico Madrid at Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem, May 21, 2019.

Turkish soccer team flies home from Greece after virus test row

Turkey, which has worked to repair its long-strained relations with Greece this year, summoned the Greek ambassador over the issue on Tuesday.

Al-Monitor Staff | Jul 13, 2021

Medical staff conduct a test for the coronavirus on the passengers who arrived from Rome to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport on June 15, 2020, in Athens, Greece.

Palestinians criticize FC Barcelona over possible match with Israeli team

Spain's elite soccer club has not confirmed it will play the Israeli team Beitar Jerusalem.

Al-Monitor Staff | Palestine | Jul 13, 2021

Syrian opposition organizes Arabian horse festival

In the areas controlled by the Turkish-backed opposition in the countryside of Aleppo, equestrian sports are alive with the first purebred Arabian horse festival.

Khaled al-Khateb | Syria | Jul 7, 2021

Syrians take part in a horse race for thoroughbred Arabian horses sponsored by Turkish nongovernmental organization IHH, in the southern Aleppo countryside, Syria, May 12, 2017.

Italians build Gaza’s largest sports park

The Gaza Strip will have a huge recreational sports project, which includes one of the largest skateboard tracks in the Middle East.

Mervat Ouf | Palestine | Jul 5, 2021

Palestinian youths ride their skateboards near the sea port of Gaza City, Gaza Strip, March 20, 2019.

Yoga for Gaza paramedics raises controversy

A social club in Gaza has organized a one-time event to give a yoga session for paramedics who suffered psychological trauma during the latest Israel escalation.

Entsar Abu Jahal | Palestine | Jul 4, 2021

Palestinian women practise yoga on the beach during an event organized by the Positive Energy Club, Gaza City, Gaza Strip, March 3, 2020.

The Takeaway: Iran deal on front burner before Raisi takes office

Also: Bibi plots his comeback, a woman boxing coach trains men in Egypt, and the latest from Gaza, Jordan, Iraq, and Turkey.

Andrew Parasiliti, Elizabeth Hagedorn, Joe Snell | Iran | Jun 30, 2021

Iran's President-elect Ebrahim Raisi delivers speech at the Imam Reza shrine in the city of Mashhad in northeastern Iran, on June 22, 2021.

Qatar to require World Cup spectators be fully vaccinated

The four-week World Cup tournament will hold all of its matches in full stadiums.

Al-Monitor Staff | Qatar | Jun 21, 2021

In this handout image supplied by Qatar 2022, this artist's impression represents Qatar Foundation Stadium. Qatar will host the FIFA World Cup in 2022.

Abu Dhabi to host Pakistani cricket competition

The Emirati city has experience hosting sport events during the pandemic from the Fight Island mixed martial arts series.

Al-Monitor Staff | News Brief | May 20, 2021

Multan Sultans' Mohammad Rizwan (L) plays a shot during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) T20 cricket match between Quetta Gladiators and Multan Sultans at the National Stadium in Karachi on March 3, 2021.

Arab-Israeli soccer players offer symbol of coexistence

With tensions between Jews and Arabs in Israel reaching sad records, Israeli-Arab soccer players carry the (perhaps heavy) mission of demonstrating coexistence.

Danny Zaken | Israel | May 13, 2021

Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur scores his team's fifth goal from the penalty spot during the UEFA Europa League playoff match between Tottenham Hotspur and Maccabi Haifa at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, United Kingdom, Oct. 01, 2020.

Israeli and Emirati rugby teams to play each other for first time

The rugby sevens match in Dubai is the latest example of the strengthening of relations between Israel and the UAE and shows a shift in Israel's sports relations with other regional states.

Adam Lucente | United Arab Emirates | Mar 17, 2021

Soccer academy for African refugees in Egypt

A South Sudanese man in Egypt recently opened an academy to teach and train African refugees passionate about soccer.

Ahmed Gomaa | Egypt | Mar 9, 2021

Sports

Saudi judoka earns praise for facing Israeli opponent at Tokyo Olympics

Tahani Alqahtani is the first Saudi woman to compete in judo at the Olympics, bucking the trend of Middle Eastern and North African athletes refusing to face Israelis at the games.

Controversial cleric’s ‘modesty call’ to Turkish volleyball team bounces back at him

Sudanese judoka refuses to face Israeli opponent

Israeli soccer club calls off match with Barcelona in Jerusalem

Turkish soccer team flies home from Greece after virus test row

Palestinians criticize FC Barcelona over possible match with Israeli team

Syrian opposition organizes Arabian horse festival

Italians build Gaza’s largest sports park

Yoga for Gaza paramedics raises controversy

The Takeaway: Iran deal on front burner before Raisi takes office

Qatar to require World Cup spectators be fully vaccinated

Abu Dhabi to host Pakistani cricket competition

Arab-Israeli soccer players offer symbol of coexistence

Israeli and Emirati rugby teams to play each other for first time

Soccer academy for African refugees in Egypt

Popular Articles

4,000-year-old city discovered in Iraq

Saudi Arabia’s race for Gulf economic leadership takes to the sky

Ancient fossilized fish found in Egypt that survived in hot waters

Will Turkey use Syrian mercenaries in Kabul?

Has Israel’s army become too small?

Recent Podcasts

Nile Dam talks may be ‘in a lot of trouble,’ says Samuel Ramani

NSO officials comment on Pegasus spyware affair: We are self-regulated on right for privacy, transparency

Ali Hashem on what to expect from Ebrahim Raisi and the rise of the Hezbollahis in Iran

Major General Noam Tibon: IDF needs more boots on the ground

South Asia security expert Ayesha Siddiqa says Turkey is a natural fit for Afghanistan