A Moroccan paraplegic team forfeited a match rather than face Israel in a wheelchair tennis contest in Tokyo, according to the Jerusalem Post. The episode leads one to the inevitable conclusion that Morocco’s much-hyped ‘coexistence’ narrative is largely for external consumption.
The Israeli wheelchair tennis team at an earlier match with a Malaysian team. (Photo: Israel Tennis Association)
Politics reared its ugly head in sports once more on Thursday, this time at the World Team Cup wheelchair tennis event at the Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo.
Israel was scheduled to face Morocco in a Men’s World Group 2 tie for positions 5-8, but the Moroccans never showed up, being ordered to forfeit by their local paralympic committee.
“This is a sad day for sports, and an even sadder day for paralympic sports,” said Israel coach Nimrod Bichler. “Politics have mixed with sports in the past, but paralympic sports were always different.” Israel’s team, which includes Amir Levi, Adam Berdichevsky and Asi Stokol, was awarded a default 3-0 victory.
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