The ongoing African Judo Championships in Morocco have been about far more than the battle for medals. One of the tournament’s contests was followed by a tense incident involving athletes from Egypt and Senegal, before the dispute was quickly brought to an end through a reconciliation on the mat — an episode that attracted considerable attention both inside and outside the competition.

The incident unfolded after the conclusion of the junior 90kg competition, where Egypt’s Ammar Abouhashem had just been crowned champion and won the gold medal. However, the moments following his triumph were marked by tension. As the Egyptian athlete was making his way towards the changing rooms, an altercation broke out between him and his Senegalese opponent, Namory Keita, before quickly escalating into a physical confrontation.

Members of both teams intervened to contain the situation, particularly given the strong relationship between the Egyptian and Senegalese delegations. The incident was subsequently brought under control before the situation could escalate further.

A Handshake Ends the Dispute… and an Apology Restores the Spirit of Sport

In a move that brought the incident to a close, the two athletes were brought back together on the judo mat — this time away from the intensity of competition. Ammar Abouhashem and Namory Keita shook hands, with each athlete apologising to the other, effectively turning the page on the confrontation and reaffirming that sporting rivalry should never cross the line.

Despite the reconciliation, the African Judo Union decided to bar both Egypt and Senegal from participating in the team events as part of the disciplinary measures imposed following the incident.

Meanwhile, Joher Nabil, the Minister of Youth and Sports, instructed the Egyptian Judo Federation to launch an urgent investigation into the incident in order to establish exactly what happened and determine responsibility. The federation was also asked to submit the findings of the investigation, along with the measures taken.

The ministerial directives made clear that if any Egyptian athlete is found to have been involved in the incident, the relevant penalties under the Egyptian Olympic Committee’s disciplinary regulations and code of conduct will be applied. The message was clear: sporting success does not exempt athletes from maintaining discipline and proper conduct.

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A Major Egyptian Achievement Despite the Controversy

Away from the incident, Egypt’s judo team continued to impress at the championships, producing strong performances across the junior boys’ and girls’ competitions and showing that the brief controversy did not overshadow the delegation’s overall achievements.

Egypt’s mixed junior team won the cadet team title after overcoming Morocco and Tunisia before defeating Algeria 4–0 in the final.

Egypt’s young women also achieved a notable milestone by topping the women’s standings for the first time in the history of the championships, highlighting the continued development of Egyptian judo at youth level.

In the individual events, the Egyptian delegation collected 15 medals in total — four gold, five silver and six bronze — a haul that placed Egypt at the forefront of the continental competition in Morocco.

Egyptian Judo Wins on the Mat… and Closes the Chapter on the Dispute

While the confrontation inevitably became one of the tournament’s most talked-about moments, the way the incident ended told a very different story from how it began. After the tension, the two athletes returned to the same mat — but this time, instead of competition, there was a handshake and an apology.

The Egypt–Senegal dispute ultimately served as a reminder that sport can sometimes be marked by moments of emotion, but its true values are reflected in the ability to contain conflict, accept responsibility and return to the spirit of fair play.

And on the competitive front, Egypt emerged from the championships with an impressive record, producing strong results in both individual and team events and reaffirming its status as one of the leading forces in African judo.