A competitor from an Arab country once again awarded victory by default to an Israeli rival in an international sports event, only this time the Israeli was an Arab, who won the bronze medal.
On Tuesday, a boxer representing the Palestinian Authority refused to compete with Israel’s Amit Madah in the up to 54 kg matches at the Youth Thai Boxing World Boxing Championship currently being held in Bangkok.
Madah, 16, from Kisra-Sumei, an Arab town in the western Galilee, is Israel’s youth champion. In Bangkok he had already beat an opponent from Madagascar, which guaranteed him a bronze medal. He later lost in the semi-finals to Ukrainian Andrei Mazentsev.
Another Israeli Arab boxer, Din Haziza, 17, climbed to the final match after defeating competitors from Sweden and Australia, and Jazana Yertungov from Kazakhstan. On Thursday, Haziza will face Thai boxer Taddech Ubonchut in the final.
Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, is a combat sport originating in Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. This physical and mental discipline is known as “the art of eight limbs” because it is characterized by the combined use of fists, elbows, knees, and shins.