Recently crowned the French junior champion in the under 63kg category, Bursa secured a bronze medal after a series of strong performances. She observed a traditional pre-war salute, but refused to extend her handshake at the end of the match. This is a gesture that carried heavy political resonance within the rules.
French judo refused to shake hands with Israeli athlete Kelem Primo after beating her at the Israeli European Junior Judo Championships.
Her decision came against the backdrop of Israel’s devastating war on the genocide in Gaza.
The move drew anger from Israeli officials. Israeli French ambassador Joshua Zarka called it “a shameful action against the values of the sport,” and called it accusation and sanctions from French authorities. However, his criticism has been filled with a wave of online support for Bursa, with many refusing to normalize relations between mass murder and the representatives of manufactured nations accused of civilian starvation.
Social media reactions highlight the growing sentiment. One user wrote: Another requested that the Israeli flag be removed completely from the sporting event.
MNA