Israeli competitor Ruach Hashem Gordon has officially withdrawn from his scheduled April 10th bout on a ONE Championship card in Thailand, after organizers informed him he would not be permitted to carry the Israeli flag during his walkout to the arena, a restriction that applied to no other athlete on the card.
Gordon, who is the brother of fellow competitor Ahavat Hashem, had already been in Thailand preparing for the event when the decision was communicated to him. According to reports, his contract had been signed well in advance, and no such conditions were mentioned at the time of signing.
The flag restriction only surfaced shortly before match week, leaving him with limited time to respond or make alternative arrangements.
Rather than quietly comply, Gordon chose to challenge the decision directly. He reportedly gave organizers a clear and simple ultimatum: remove the restriction, or he would withdraw from the match.
When the promotion declined to reverse its position, Gordon followed through on his stance and formally pulled out of the bout.
Shortly after his withdrawal, ONE Championship updated its promotional materials and social media pages, removing Gordon’s name from the lineup. The change was made without a public explanation, and the previously advertised matchup disappeared from the official card with little acknowledgment.
What has fueled the controversy most is the perceived inconsistency in how the rule was applied.
Carrying a national flag during a walkout is a long-standing tradition in combat sports. On this particular card, other athletes were still permitted to represent their countries in the usual manner.
For Gordon, the issue appeared to be less about the match itself and more about the principle behind the restriction. By stepping away from the event, he signaled that competing under conditions he viewed as unequal was not acceptable, even at the cost of a professional opportunity.
As of now, ONE Championship has not issued an official statement clarifying the reasoning behind the decision.
