PARIS – Messaoud Redouane Dris of Algeria is the No. 14-ranked fighter in judo’s men’s under-73 kilo class. He’s the current African champion. A junior African champion. Last year, he took silver at the International Judo Federation Grand Prix in Zagreb, Croatia.  He is the gold medalist at the 2022 Mediterranean Games.

This is a guy who, one would think, by any measure would relish the chance to get on the tatami at his first – very first – Olympic Games.

But no.