Baghdad: The Iraqi national fencing team withdrew on 19 May from the World Fencing Championship in Istanbul, Turkey after finding out they would be playing with the Israel team.
The Iraqi Fencing Federation announced its decision in a statement on its Facebook page.
“The decision to withdraw comes in compliance with the Iraqi law criminalising normalisation with Israel. The decision was approved by the Iraqi Parliament in rejection of the occupying Israeli entity, and in solidarity with the Palestinian cause,” the statement read.
The Federation added that Iraq has withdrawn only against Israel, but it will still participate in the team matches.
The Iraqi Parliament consistently voted in the favour of a law that criminalises the normalisation of relations with Israel in May. This is the first law in the Arab world and globally to be issued by the parliament of a state.
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