An argument concerning worldwide geopolitics emerged on the World Collection of Poker Paradise within the Bahamas on Wednesday when match officers knowledgeable Justin Bonomo he could be disqualified from the $25,000 tremendous important occasion if he continued to put on a keffiyeh scarf as play neared the televised closing desk.
The black-and-white keffiyeh has been “adopted by Palestinians as an emblem of their aspiration and lengthy wrestle for independence, making it divisive to those that affiliate it with the combating concerned in that wrestle,” in keeping with the New York Instances.
Bonomo, who’s Jewish, has persistently proven his assist for Palestinians on social media, and has pledged a portion of his winnings to charities that assist the Free Palestine motion.
WSOP officers mentioned the problem needed to do with tv broadcast rights.
“The request for elimination of Mr. Bonomo’s keffiyeh as soon as he reached the TV manufacturing desk was merely a matter of broadcast clearance,” collection officers mentioned. “Our future distribution platforms for the tremendous important occasion don’t permit clothes deemed controversial or political in nature.”
Dealing with the prospect of shedding a shot at a $6 million payday, Bonomo agreed to take away the headband. The three-time bracelet winner did nonetheless level out that whereas he understood the collection having a blanket rule towards political apparel, he felt it was hypocritical that the WSOP hosted a charity fundraiser for Israeli Protection Pressure widows and orphans only a week prior within the Bahamas.
“[The] WSOP knowledgeable me that I can be disqualified from the match if I don’t take my keffiyeh off,” he famous. “Fairly fucked that they’ll run charity tournaments for the IDF however gained’t let me put on a shawl as a result of it was made in Palestine.”
3x WSOP Bracelet Winner Justin Bonomo inching his means up the ladder one pot at a time! #WSOP #SuperMainEvent
Present chip stack – 22,450,000 (74.8BBs) Event avg – 12,211,038 (40BBs) pic.twitter.com/9VBbeSxux9
— WSOP – World Collection of Poker (@WSOP) December 18, 2024
Participant Response Is Divided
Bonomo, who presently sits in second place on poker’s all-time cash checklist with $66.4 million in earnings, has posted quite a few instances concerning the want for shielding Palestinian civilians for the reason that Oct. 7 assaults and has referred to as for a ceasefire within the battle. That has put him at odds with some pro-Israel poker gamers resembling Mike Matusow.
Matusow has been notably bothered by a lot of Bonomo’s feedback, alleging that Bonomo is definitely supporting Hamas. He wasted no time in calling out Bonomo on Twitter concerning the incident, even calling for him to be jailed.
“He shouldn’t be allowed to play poker tourneys!” Matusow mentioned. “Can’t anticipate Trump to throw individuals who assist terrorism in jail! Possibly ‘jihadomo’ can be first!”
Matusow, after all, isn’t any stranger to jail himself, having served six months after attempting to promote narcotics to an undercover police officer.
Though gamers stay divided on the problem, not everybody’s response was as excessive as Matusow’s. Some had been appalled by the disqualification warning, whereas others famous that the collection has a proper to determine how issues are run.
The latter view appeared to fall consistent with WSOP guidelines that word: “Host Properties reserve the precise always to impose a ban on any attire deemed objectionable by Host Properties, in its sole and absolute discretion. Host Properties reserve the precise to refuse entry or continued participation in an Occasion to any Participant who doesn’t adjust to the aforementioned attire guidelines.”
“Whether or not you agree or disagree with Justin’s politics, that is possibly essentially the most insane overstep by an operator in current reminiscence,” wrote outspoken high-stakes professional Matt Berkey. “I can’t fathom a world the place they’d inform somebody to take away their yarmulka or Star of David.”
The headscarf was additionally worn within the match by poker professional and writer Michael Acevedo, who was eradicated early on. Bonomo was in the end one of many 9 gamers reaching the ultimate desk and sits eighth in chips. Whereas he wouldn’t apparently be sporting a keffiyeh, he was planning as an alternative to put on a Palestinian flag.
The Israeli-Palestinian battle has made its means into poker headlines earlier than. Again in 2014, PokerStars banned political apparel of their occasions after high-stakes professionals Olivier Busquet and Dan Colman wore shirts that mentioned, ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘Save Gaza’ at a livestreamed excessive curler closing desk.
In 2021, Mike Ruter took criticism for sporting a ‘Free Palestine’ shirt at a WSOP closing desk. Ruter was a part of the duo that gained the Tag Crew occasion, which had been heads-up with Israel’s Tomer Wolf and David Lander.
Participant Reactions
Whether or not you agree or disagree with Justin’s politics, that is possibly essentially the most insane over step by an operator in current reminiscence. https://t.co/9zjwmt3YQv
— Matt Berkey (@berkey11) December 18, 2024
Solely bc Justin is understood to be making a political assertion. Would they ask a random Sheik splashing round to take away? It additionally works each methods. I can not fathom a world the place they inform somebody to take away their yamaka or star of David or be DQ’d.
— Matt Berkey (@berkey11) December 19, 2024
The WSOP have painted themselves additional right into a partisan nook by banning @JustinBonomo from sporting a Palestinian scarf, and anybody celebrating the choice can shut up about ‘Cancel Tradition’ perpetually.
— Barny Boatman (@barnyboatman) December 19, 2024
I simply wanna say, 99.99 % of the graceful brains freaking out concerning the scarf wouldn’t even know wtf it’s if WSOP didn’t flip it right into a aspect present and Bonomo making it a “take a look at me” second.
— Teddy KGB (@SATX_Poker) December 19, 2024
Phil Hellmuth threatened to burn the Rio down throughout a live-streamed closing desk and WSOP did nothing. Not even a one spherical penalty. Justin Bonomo wore what is actually a center jap scarf, and WSOP is threatening to DQ him.
— MattBlagg (@MattBlagg) December 19, 2024
He shouldn’t be allowed to play poker tourneys! Cannot anticipate Trump to thow individuals who assist terrorism in jail! Possibly jihadomo can be first! https://t.co/XKxfxSUiY7
— Mike Matusow (@themouthmatusow) December 18, 2024
So @JustinBonomo doesn’t have the keffiyeh on anymore and the entire sudden we see his face on the stream.
— Pragress (@PrahladFriedman) December 18, 2024
The Bonomo dialogue is fucking silly. Do i feel he ought to be allowed to put on the lil scarf? positive why not? However he solely wore it to be a performative little bitch and piss ppl off. It labored. He made the FT. Now he will get to bitch and jerk himself off some extra. WIN/WIN.
— (@SlayAbides33) December 19, 2024
WSOP forcing Justin Bonomo to take away his keffiyeh looks as if an oppressive overreach concerning freedom of expression, however for those who take a look at the precise particulars, the request is smart.
Learn on… (1/x)
— Todd Witteles (@ToddWitteles) December 19, 2024
I despise Bonomo, am very pro-israel, and immediately decide individuals sporting a keffiyeh. And that is nonetheless full lolz_whatthefuck. Let him put on it. Wild.
— Falant (@Falkenby) December 19, 2024
To me it’s similar as sporting a swaztika! You’re both for Israel or for terrorist! Interval https://t.co/WOWEKBCG4E
— Mike Matusow (@themouthmatusow) December 19, 2024
*Screenshot from WSOP
