KUWAIT, Sunday, May 21, 2023 (WAFA) – Kuwaiti fencer Abdulaziz Alshatti has pulled out of the 2023 International Fencing Federation (FIE) Senior World Cup in Turkey after finding out he would be facing an Israeli contestant, citing refusal of normalization with the Israeli apartheid regime.

The 32-year-old athlete said he decided to pull out of the competitions in Istanbul as soon as he found out he was scheduled to play against an Israeli opponent.

“I withdrew from the tournament because of the presence of a representative from the Zionist entity in the same group,” Alshatti wrote in an Arabic-language post published on his Instagram page.

He added, “My trust in God is great, and goodness is coming with His permission. His generosity is not delayed, but rather comes at the right time.”

Back in September 2022, Kuwaiti karate fighter Mohammad al-Otaibi withdrew from the 2022 Karate 1-Premier League contests in Baku, Azerbaijan, in order not to face an Israeli contestant.

Otaibi was set to participate in the male 60-kilogram division of the international tournament. He, however, pulled out of the competitions as soon as he found out he was scheduled to take on Israeli competitor Ronen Gehtbarg.

In May 2021, Kuwait’s National Assembly unanimously approved bills that outlaw any deals or normalization of ties with the Tel Aviv regime.

M.N