The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Tuesday it was “concerned” by two judokas withdrawing from their competition at the Tokyo Games ahead of matches with an Israeli athlete.

A leading IOC official, James Macleod, told reporters that the organisation “would take action” should there be “flagrant abuse of the Olympic Charter.”

In the -73kg class, Algerian Fethi Nourine withdrew from his first-round bout with Sudan’s Mohamed Abdalrasool to avoid a potential second-round meeting with Israel’s Tohar Butbul.

Abdalrasool then scratched himself ahead of his meeting with Butbul.

Nourine told Algerian television it was due to his belief in the Palestinian cause and was subsequently suspended by the governing body, IJF and sent home. Abdalrasool did not give a public reason for the move.

“We will investigate anything that is raised to us and work with the National Olympic Committee (NOC) and International Federations (IFs) on a case by case basis.

“The IOC has been very clear that non-discrimination and autonomy are things we will not shy away from,” said Mr Macleod.