Ruach Ha-Shem Gordon Withdraws from ONE Championship Tournament Over Flag Ban Before Fight with Foreign Opponent
Muay Thai and mixed martial arts champion Ruach ha-Shem Gordon has canceled his debut in the prestigious international organization ONE Championship.
On the eve of the tournament in Thailand, the promotion imposed what he considered a discriminatory condition: he was категорically forbidden from entering the ring with his national flag, while athletes from other countries were still allowed to use their national symbols.
Faced with what he saw as overt political censorship, Gordon refused to compromise. He declined to fight while concealing his Israeli identity and terminated his contract with the organization. This is not the first case of alleged bias from this Asian promotion—earlier, Israeli athlete Shir Cohen reportedly faced a similar ultimatum.
Withdrawing from a tournament of this level is a major sacrifice for a professional athlete. Fighters often spend years working toward contracts with elite leagues, investing all their resources. Gordon’s decision to give up career opportunities for the sake of national dignity demonstrates exceptional resolve.
Principled action appears to run in the family: just a month ago, Ruach’s brother, Ahavat Hashem Gordon, after defeating a Turkish opponent in Lithuania, demonstratively unfurled the blue-and-white flag in the ring.
The fighter’s decision received full support at the state level. Minister of Culture and Sport Miki Zohar stated: “The Gordon family is a family of athletes, fighters, and patriots. A source of pride for the country.” Now, Israel’s sports leadership faces the task not only of praising athletes for their patriotism, but also of developing a clear systemic response to organizations that attempt to erase Israel’s presence from international arenas.
