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Britain’s wheelchair basketball team has faced intense criticism for their ‘hugely offensive’ actions after they turned away from the podium during the Israeli national anthem.
The Paralympic team, dressed in white, seemed to pivot at a 90-degree angle away from the podium as the Israeli flag was raised, while the country’s national anthem, the Hatikvah, played.
The incident, described as an ‘attack on the dignity’ of Israel’s players, took place last Saturday during the opening ceremony of the Wheelchair Basketball Nations Cup in Cologne.
As the national anthem began, the British players turned away, not facing the flags of the two countries, in what appeared to be a protest over Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
This happens amid the Middle Eastern country’s invasion of Gaza following the October 7 massacre by Hamas, where 1,200 Jews were killed by the terrorist group.
Recently, Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, warned that ‘the gates of hell will soon open up’ on Hamas if it does not agree to a peace deal on Israel’s terms.
Elsewhere in Germany, the Israeli squad, dressed in blue were unaware of the rival team’s actions until the game, where the Brits won 74-64, because they were facing the flags while the national anthems were played.
It is understood that coaching staff were not a part of the protest, which appeared to have been action taken by the players, and has since been labelled as ‘shameful’.
The British team, dressed in white, appeared to swivel at a 90-degree angle away from the podium as the Israeli flag was raised while the country’s national anthem was played
The Israeli squad (in blue) only found out about the protest following the game, which Britain won 74-64, because they were facing away from the British team as the anthems were played
Since the event, the Israeli Paralympic Committee has since lodged a complaint with the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation, calling for sanctions on any athletes who repeat the gesture.
Moshe ‘Mutz’ Matalon, chairman of the Israel Paralympic Committee, branded the conduct as ‘shameful’ and going against ‘the spirit of Paralympic sports’.
‘Such conduct is deeply disrespectful to the athletes, stands in clear contradiction to the Paralympic spirit and undermines not only wheelchair basketball but also Israeli sport and the State of Israel as a whole,’ he told The Telegraph.
He revealed the side intend to appeal to the sporting federation about the ‘disgraceful behaviour’ exhibited by the British side, while demanding an intervention to ensure such incident do not reoccur.
He added: ‘And, if it does, that severe sanctions be imposed on anyone who brings politics into sport.
‘I can assure you that an Israeli team would never behave this way toward any national team. Unfortunately, it seems the world has already forgotten what Israel went through on October 7.’
Ilay Yarhi, an Israeli wheelchair basketball player, described the act as ‘an attack on our dignity as players’.
He told The Jerusalem Post that his team-mates ‘felt like they were bringing unrelated issues on to the court and humiliating us’.
He said that some Israeli players later challenged the British team on why they turned their wheelchairs around.
‘A few of them answered that it was a protest and a way of supporting world peace, that they were not in favour of war,’ he told The Jerusalem Post.
‘Some wanted to come and talk and apologise – but we didn’t agree to that because, if you don’t respect us, you don’t deserve any respect in return.’
Zimra Vigoda, whose son competes for Israel, said: ‘Jewish, Muslim, and Christian moms [have] cheered as their sons played side by side… War and division have scarred every community. And yet those boys, now men, are still together on Israel’s national team. Their connection with one another has only deepened.’
The ‘attack on the dignity’ of Israel ‘s players came as the two nations competed in Cologne in the final group stage clash
The British team turned their wheelchairs away during Hatikvah, the national anthem of the Jewish state
Lord Ian Austin, the former Labour MP, said: ‘This hugely offensive gesture brings shame on the British team, whatever their motivation
Lord Ian Austin, the former Labour MP, said: ‘This hugely offensive gesture brings shame on the British team, whatever their motivation.
‘Not only have these Paralympians betrayed the proud history of an international sporting movement that transcends borders, but they have also shown their ignorance about the diverse nature of Israeli society, reflected by a team in which Jewish and Arab players together strive for victory.
‘The British basketball team must now apologise for their insulting behaviour and pledge that there will never be any repeat. Failure to do so should call into question the future of taxpayer funding for the team.’
British Wheelchair Basketball received £4,925,000 in funding from UK Sport for the 2028 Paralympics.
The Wheelchair Basketball Nations Cup is run under the auspices of the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) and is separate from the Paralympics.
But ParalympicsGB reminded athletes against engaging in political protests during sporting events following the British team’s snub.
A British Wheelchair Basketball spokesman said: ‘British Wheelchair Basketball is aware of the incident during the Israeli national anthem at the Nations Cup. We are continuing discussions internally after conversations with ParalympicsGB, IWBF, and the Israeli Paralympic Committee.’
