Amar Benikhlef

Amar Benikhlef (born 11 January 1982) is an Algerian judoka who competed in the middleweight division. He won the silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. In September 2021, Benikhlef was suspended for 10 years, until July 2031 for "a clear and very serious breach of the IJF Statutes, the IJF Code of Ethics and the Olympic Charter.".

Biography

After a judoka he coached, Fethi Nourine, was selected to compete at the 2020 Summer Games in the 73 kg weight class, Nourine and Benikhlef each announced Nourine's withdrawal following the conclusion of the draw of competitors. They said the withdrawal was because they were supporting the Palestinian cause by not competing against Israeli Tohar Butbul, whom Nourine was drawn to potentially face in the second round, had he won in the first round. The IJF announced his and Nourine's immediate suspensions on 24 July 2021, pending a further investigation, and sent the two of them back home to Algeria from Tokyo. The Federation explained: It continued: "Judo sport is based on a strong moral code, including respect and friendship, to foster solidarity and we will not tolerate any discrimination, as it goes against the core values and principles of our sport." The Federation Disciplinary Commission will handle final sanctioning beyond the Olympics. In September 2021, Benikhlef was suspended for 10 years, until July 2031.

Achievements