Antisemitism in the Olympic Games

The Olympic Games

Berlin – 1936

• The 1936 Summer Olympics had boycotts by nations, racial discrimination and unhealthy politics.  ^[3]  The Olympics was held in Berlin , Germany , and coincided with Adolf Hitler’s rise to power. Critics asked that Hitler used the Olympic internship to propagate his own political ideologies. Hitler was also criticized for his racist attitude towards the Jewish participants in the games. Recognizing the exploitation of the Olympic Games for political purposes by Hitler , a number of organizations and leading politicians called for the boycott of the games.  ^[3]

Munich – 1972

• The “Munich massacre” was an attack during the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich , West Germany , at which eleven Israeli Olympic team members were taken hostage and eventually killed, along with a German police officer, by the Palestinian terrorist group Black September .  ^{[4]  [5]  [6]  [7]}  Shortly after the crisis, they asked for 234 prisoners jailed in Israel and the German-held founders of the Red Army Faction ( Andreas Baader and Ulrike Meinhof ) be released.  ^{[8]  [9]} Black September called the operation ” Iqrit and Biram “,  ^[10]  after two Palestinian Christian villages whose inhabitants were expelled by the IDF in 1948. The attack was motivated by secular nationalism, with the control of the terrorist group, Luttif Afif , having been born to Jewish and Christian parents.  ^[11]  German neo-Nazi gave the attackers logistical assistance.  ^[12]  Police officers killed five of the Black September members during a failed rescue attempt. They captured the three survivors, whom West Germany later released following hijacked Lufthansa Flight 615 in October.Mossad responded to the 1973 Israeli raid on Lebanon and Operation Wrath of God , tracking down and killing Palestinians suspected of involvement in the massacre. On 3 August 2016, two days before the start of the 2016 Summer Olympics , the International Olympic Committee officially honored the eleven Israelis killed for the first time.  ^[13]

Atlanta – 1996

• The French synchronized swimming team agreed their Holocaust themed performance for the Atlanta Olympic Games after protests from French Jews .  ^[14]

Athens – 2004

• Iranian judoka Arash Miresmaeili was the Israeli Ehud Vaks but was disqualified for being over the limit. He refused to fight Vaks because he empathized with the people of Palestine. An Iranian National Olympic Committee spokesperson said it was Iran’s “general policy” not to face Israeli athletes. He won public praise from the Iranian government.  ^{[15]  [16]}

Beijing – 2008

• Iranian swimmer Mohammad Alirezaei refused to leave you in the water as far as Israeli Tom Beeri , who finished 4th, left his lane empty during the heat.  ^[17]  At the 2009 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Rome , Alirezaei refused to compete in the race in the same heat as Israeli competitor Mickey Malul.  ^[17]

London – 2012

• At the ceremony for the 11th Israeli athletes and coaches that were killed at the 1972 Summer Olympics , top Olympics’ official Jacques Rogge came under attack at the opening ceremony of London 2012 .  ^[18]  Instead, a week before the official opening of the Games, Rogge held a minute of silence during a minor ceremony in the Olympic village .  ^[19]

Brazil – 2016

• Media outlets published a story about Palestinian swimmer Mary Al-Atrash , claiming she was unable to use an Olympic-sized pool for training.  ^[20]  “There is no Olympic-sized swimming pool in the Palestinian territories that Palestinians are allowed to use,” Atrash practices at the YMCA in Beit Sahour , near Bethlehem, “Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported.” The pool is 25 meters long, Half the length of the facility she will compete in at Rio “. Israeli officials said she refused to apply for a permit to travel to Jerusalem to use Their facilities.  ^[21] Liel Leibovitz of Tablet Magazine pointed out that there are several full-sized pools within the Palestinian territories she could have used.
• Lebanese Olympians refused to ride with the summer Olympics .  ^[22]  When the Israeli delegation of athletes and coaches tried to move to Maracana stadium , the head of the Lebanese delegation blocked the entrance.  ^{[23]  [24]  [25]}
• A Saudi female judo competitor forfeited her first round match at the Olympic Games to avoid going up against a rival from Israel, it has been claimed.  ^[23]  Joud Fahmy was supposed to take Christianne Legentil from Mauritius for the right to take over Israel’s Gili Cohen in the next round.  ^[26]  But before the clash, the official said that she had injured her arm and leg  ^[27] Afterwards, media outlets in Israel reportedly suggested that 22-year-old Fahmy was not injured. According to the Times of Israel, Channel 2 broadcaster said it had been dropped to avoid a fixture against an Israeli.  ^[28]
• After losing a judo match on Friday, Islam El Shehaby , a fighter from Egypt , has been forced to give up his opponent’s hand. After beating him, Israeli Ori Sasson fighter extended his hand to El Shehaby. In response, the Egyptian fighter backed away, refusing to reciprocate the gesture.  ^[20]
• In an Olympic qualifying match, Ala Ghasoun, a boxer from Syria , refused to fight an Israeli athlete. Ghasoun said competing with an athlete from Israel “would mean that I, as an athlete, and Syria, as a state, recognize the state of Israel”.  ^[29]
• Facebook place Israel in its flag. The following occurred on Facebook feature called Profile Frames, which allows users to add a flag and the Rio 2016 in their profile picture. The Israel option can be found right at the bottom of the list after Zimbabwe , which is the last country alphabetically on the list. Also missing is the Israeli flag in the option. Instead is the flag of the Israeli Olympic Committee.  ^[30]

See also

• Boycotts of Israel in sports
• Jewish Olympics
• Muscular Judaism

References