Israel is facing more and more demands to be sanctioned in sports because of the Gaza war. The IOC rejects such a procedure.
“Both the National Olympic Committee of Israel and the Palestine are recognized by the IOC and have the same rights. Both stick to the Olympic Charter, and we continue to work with them to alleviate the effects of the current conflict on the athletes”the Spanish news agency EFE quoted a statement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The IOC referred to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, in which both delegations competed and their athletes “Peaceful under one roof in the Olympic village” coexisted “.
The IOC headquarters in Lausanne
Spain Prime Minister: Neither Russia nor Israel should be allowed to start
The Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had asked for an exclusion of Israel from organized sport as part of the Vuelta bike tour. “Sports organizations have to ask themselves whether it is ethically justifiable that Israel continues to participate in competitions. Why was Russia excluded after the invasion of Ukraine, but not Israel after the invasion of Gaza?”Asked Sánchez and demanded that “Neither Russia nor Israel” participation in international competitions should be allowed, “Until barbarism stops”.
The Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar then called Sanchez one “AntiSemit and Liar” “ and asked: “Is Israel marched into Gaza on October 7th or has the terrorist state of Hamas marched into Israel and has the worst massacre of the Jews committed since the Holocaust?”
The Gaza War
On October 7, 2023, the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas committed a large -scale attack on Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed and numerous others were dragged into the Gaza strips. To date, around 50 hostages are dead or alive in the violence of Hamas.
Israel reacted with a military retaliation offensive to destroy the structures of Hamas. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health controlled by the Hamas, more than 67,000 people were killed. Large parts of the buildings and the infrastructure in the Gaza Strip are destroyed, the location of the civilian population is considered catastrophic.
A UN Commission accuses Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. Israel rejects this and has now started a soil offensive to take Gazastadt.
Radsport World Association rejects claims from Spain
The EU Commission in Brussels proposed far-reaching sanctions against Israel on Wednesday in view of the military’s military’s ground offensive. It is still open whether a decision occurs. However, sport is not mentioned in the document.
Sanctions in sports have been challenged several times, but the associations contradicted such demands. The Radsport World Association UCI displaced the pro-Palestinian protests at the Vuelta and reacted significantly to the demands of Spain’s Prime Minister Sánchez. One condemned “The instrumentalization of sport for political purposes in general and in particular through a government is greatest”explained the UCI.
It should be regret that “The Spanish Prime Minister and his government have supported measures that could hinder the smooth running of a sports competition and, in some cases, expressed their admiration for the demonstrators”.
Pro-Palestinian protests at the Vuelta
FootBall World Association Seemed decision several times
In football, the Palestinian Association had requested a suspension of the Israeli association several times in history and most recently in May 2024 at FIFA. The Gaza War was more reason than justification in the current application. A main accusation is an Israeli game in the settlements in the West Bank occupied by Israel, which means that the territorial integrity of the Palestinian Association should be violated in doubt.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino saw the FIFA Council responsible for the topic. At first he did not make a decision, but commissioned a legal report. The “governance, audit and compliance commission” of the FIFA in October 2024 was then entrusted with examining the allegation of illegal game operations. At the FIFA Congress in May, however, this body was re-elected and the FIFA granted him time again to “To incorporate into the topic”. So the months passed, in the background the associations hoped for a political solution to the war – but so far it has failed.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino
The conflict is always evident in football. Fan groups positioned themselves, Norway’s association announced that it would donate income from a World Cup qualification game against Israel to a gazahilfe. National coaches such as Italy or Island expressed their displeasure.
Fortuna Düsseldorf waived the commitment of the Israeli international Shon Weissman after contributions to social networks in which he had requested the destruction of Gazas. Other Israeli athletes also commented in this direction.
Restheses in Europe’s football for Israel crumbles for the first time
A key support in FIFA always came from UEFA for Israel. That was crumbling for the first time for the first time: at the UEFA Supercup in Udine between Paris in Italy Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur the UEFA rolled out a large banner on the square, at the stand: “Stop killing children! Listen to kill civilians!”
UEFA banner in Udine: “Listen to kill children – stop killing civilians”
Israel was not given specifically. The UEFA made it clear that Israel’s attacks were meant on the Gaza Strip. At the award ceremony, two refugee children from the Gaza Strip were allowed to stand in addition to UEFA President Ceferin. In addition, before the game, the UEFA announced that it would support three aid projects for children in Gaza with its foundation. According to the English newspaper “The Times“The UEFA emphasized that the two banner did not mean a political message, but a humanitarian.
IOC board is not on the agenda in Milan – Israel
The IOC board will meet on Thursday and Friday in Milan in the run-up to Winter Games 2026, which take place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. IOC Executive Director Christophe Dubi said that with a view to the protests of the Vuelta, he does not see any reason for the torchy run. “We have full confidence in the work of the Italian authorities in this area.”
IOC director Christophe Dubi
Dubi concluded that consequences against Israeli athletes will not be an issue at the meeting. Athletes from Russia, on the other hand, could be an issue. It is expected that your exclusion to the Winter Games 2026 will be expanded.