Nourinem, who competes in the men's under-73 kilograms class, would have faced Tohar Butbul of Israel in the second round had he won his opening contest against Sudan's Mohamed Abdalarasool on Monday (July 26).
But he told Algerian television that he would not get his "hands dirty" and that his decision to pull out was "final".
"We worked a lot to reach the Olympics, and the news came as a shock, a thunder," he said of his draw.
Benikhlef added: "We were unlucky with the draw.
"We got an Israeli opponent and that's why we had to retire.
