bowing out

We are used to hearing about Iranian athletes, and athletes form a few other countries hostile to Israel,  bowing out of international competitions in order to avoid facing an Israeli competitor. It might be so as not to have to acknowledge anything official from Israel, it might be a form of protest, it might be an avoidance of indirect recognition of the State of Israel, and it might also be, even if just a bit, fear of losing to an Israeli and possibly facing a firing squad back home. 

I think this, however, is a relatively new trend. 

A Jordanian athlete, an athlete from a country with which we have a peace agreement and semi-decent relations and regional cooperation (even though it definitely has its up and downs) has now bowed out of a competition in order to avoid facing an Israeli competitor. She even gave up the potential of winning a bronze medal in an international tournament in Bulgaria rather than face an Israeli.

According to news reports, 13 year old Jordanian, Miassar al-Dakhamsha, refused to compete against an Israeli for the bronze medal in Taekwondo in the World Championships tournament in Bulgaria.

I dont know who won. I dont know if that was a forfeit and the Israeli got the bronze or if someone else moved up to compete. I tried (not too hard) to find results but didnt see anything. Whatever happened, if they dont want to fight the Israelis, more power to them. I wish diplomatically and politically the Arab countries would also bow out of fighting the Israelis, and hopefully militarily they will also just talk and bow out rather than come to fisticuffs...

 

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