A dispute arose at the European Fencing Championship in Tallinn, Estonia, during Saturday evening’s medal ceremony. The Israeli team secured a gold medal after defeating Switzerland with a score of 45-34.
However, the victory was overshadowed when members of the Swiss under-23 fencing team, who had earned silver, chose to turn their backs toward the Israeli athletes while the national anthem played.
The incident prompted strong condemnation from Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.
This is not the first time Israel’s fencing team has encountered protests from competitors. Earlier this year, in May 2023, Iraq’s national fencing team refused to participate in a scheduled match against Israel at the World Fencing Championship held in Istanbul.
Beyond fencing, similar controversies have emerged within international sports organizations.
- The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) formally requested FIFA’s disciplinary committee investigate allegations of discrimination leveled against Team Israel.
- The PFA’s accusations centered on claims that the Israeli Football Association (IFA) was complicit in violations of international law, discriminatory practices towards Arab players, and the inclusion of clubs located within Palestinian territory in the Israeli league.
Despite these allegations, FIFA ultimately chose not to suspend Israel.
The IFA subsequently released a statement defending its actions:
“Whoever imagined suspending Israeli football from international competition or imposing sanctions based on lies and false accusations has failed.”
The statement further detailed the IFA’s proactive efforts to counter what it perceived as attempts by the Palestinian Association to distort reality, adding:
“We respect those who authored the report submitted to council members and the decision of council members to transfer two issues for legal review, provided there is any factual basis. Thanks to values that embody a vibrant democracy and an independent and resolute legal system within our Football Association, we have never violated and will not violate any FIFA/UEFA regulations.”
