In August of this year, Abdel Rahim al-Talib Muhammad, a 14-year-old chess player from Mauritania — officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania — withdrew from the chess Junior World Cup in order to avoid competing against an Israeli player. This is just one of many examples of Islamic countries boycotting Israel in athletic and other competitions. Critics of the anti-Israel boycotts say sports should be separate from politics.
Quote: “I decided to retire because I refuse to play with a representative of a fictional country that in reality does not exist,” the player, Abdel Rahim al-Talib Muhammad, explained, according to the Middle East Monitor. Muhammad, who is ranked 47th out of 215 players, was met with praise by the Mauritanian National League for his decision.”
Sources: Wikipedia (introduction), The Jerusalem Post (introduction and quotation)
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Photo: NBC News
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