By Agnibeena Ghosh
The intensifying armed conflict between Israel and Palestine, which has resulted in significant turmoil, is casting its shadow on the world of sports. This impact is visible in various ways, such as the relocation of Maccabi Tel Aviv in the EuroLeague basketball and the withdrawal of three Israeli teams (BneiHerzliya, Ironi Ness Ziona, and HapoelGalilElyon) from the FIBA Champions League.
This escalation of violence, characterized by daily combat and bombings since October 7, following a terrorist action on Israeli territory by Hamas, an organization deemed terrorist by the European Union, has resulted in hundreds of casualties. In response to the ongoing violence, there have been over 10,000 casualties in Palestinian territories, according to unconfirmed figures provided by the organization.
Amid this turmoil, the world of sports and its athletes find themselves caught in the crossfire, with the Paris 2024 Olympic Games approaching. In response to the crisis, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has expressed its stance on both sporting and security aspects. The German news agency DPA released a statement from an IOC spokesperson, emphasizing that the organization will not engage in any discriminatory behavior against Israeli athletes.
The spokesperson further highlighted the IOC’s commitment to individual responsibility, emphasizing that athletes cannot be held accountable for the actions of their governments. This approach is in line with the swift action taken during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. During those Games, Algerian judoka FethiNourine withdrew to avoid a potential confrontation with Israeli athlete ToharButbul, resulting in the IOC imposing a 10-year suspension on the athlete and his coach.
Regarding security, it’s crucial to recall one of the darkest incidents in Olympic history. On September 5, 1972, during the Munich Games, Palestinian militants took 11 members of the Israeli delegation hostage in the Olympic Village. The incident, linked to the Black September movement, demanded the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli custody. Despite a police intervention, all hostages, one police officer, and five of the eight attackers lost their lives.
The current global security landscape is deeply concerning, with France at its highest level of anti-terrorism alert. The Paris 2024 Organizing Committee, led by Toni Estanguet, has emphasized that security has been a top priority since the project’s inception. Given France’s history of being targeted in attacks, both authorities and Paris 2024 have underscored the paramount importance of security for the Games’ success.
However, the IOC’s stance that athletes should not be held accountable for their country’s leaders’ decisions has faced criticism, particularly in Russia. Russian authorities perceive a double standard, as Russian athletes were already excluded from the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and will not participate in the Paris Games due to the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
Notably, the Olympic organization recommended that federations allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals. However, it suspended the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) in October for incorporating Ukrainian regions (Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, and Zaporizhia), a violation of the Olympic Charter. On November 6, the ROC appealed its suspension to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Maria Zakharova, the Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, demanded a clear and unequivocal rejection by the IOC of double standards. She called for the strict application of equal treatment for all athletes without exception and without discrimination for any reason.
In response, the IOC defended its measures and recommendations, attributing them to the Russian army’s invasion of Ukraine during the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing 2022. This was deemed a violation of the Olympic Truce, which was in effect at that time, and a violation of the Olympic Charter.
News Mania Desk / Agnibeena Ghosh 8th November 2023
