Islam El Shehaby had participated in the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics and had international judo titles in the +100 kg division as far back as the 1999 Pan Arab Games. He was most recently African Champion in the +100 kg and open classes at the 2011 African Championships, and was runner-up in the former category at the 2012 edition. Coming into the 2012 Olympics he was ranked fourth in the world, but lost in the opening round against Ihar Makarau of Belarus. The final judoka, Ramadan Darwish, had won every African championship in the 100 kg class since 2009, was the 2009 Mediterranean champion and 2011 All-Africa Games runner-up, and had earned a bronze medal at the 2009 World Judo Championships. He qualified for the 100 kg event at the Olympic Games by being ranked ninth worldwide, but was defeated in his first match by France's Thierry Fabre.