A Kuwaiti athlete announced on Monday his withdrawal from the 2023 Junior and Cadet Fencing World Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, after refusing to face an Israeli opponent.
Ahmed Awad said on Twitter that he made the decision after he was pitted against “a player from the occupying Zionist entity, refusing to recognize the occupying Zionist entity and in solidarity with the brotherly state of Palestine.”
‘My Withdrawal is a Victory’: Lebanese Athlete Refuses to Compete against Israeli Rival
“As Kuwaitis, we are always and forever with the Palestinian cause,” Awad added.
This is not the first time a Kuwaiti athlete takes a stance in solidarity with Palestine. Last year, Mohammed al-Fadli withdrew from the World Fencing Championships in the United Arab Emirates for refusing to face an Israeli athlete.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
