Britain’s wheelchair basketball team has been accused of “deeply disrespectful and offensive behaviour” after players turned their backs on the Israeli national anthem.
The team swivelled their wheelchairs around so they were facing away from the Israeli flag as it was raised during the playing of the Jewish state’s national anthem.
It is understood the players took part in the action in a protest over Israel’s invasion of Gaza following the Oct 7 2023 massacre of 1,200 Jews by Hamas fighters.
The incident happened in the Cologne last Saturday during the opening ceremony of the third and final game of the group stage in the Wheelchair Basketball Nations Cup.
As the opening strains of Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem, began to play, the British team could be seen turning their wheelchairs to face away from the official podium and the flags of the two countries.
The British team’s coaching staff did not take part in the protest, which appeared to have been an initiative of the players.
Fury over ‘attack on dignity of our players’
The team’s gesture was criticised as both an insult to their opponents and being against the spirit of international sporting encounters. The Israeli Paralympic Committee lodged a formal complaint with the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation.
It called for sanctions against any sportsmen and women who repeated the gesture, which it said was in breach of the rules banning political protests at sports events.
Following the British team’s snub, ParalympicsGB reminded all athletes not to take part in any political protests or gestures during sporting events or opening ceremonies.
The Israeli team learnt of the protest only after the game, since they had been facing away from the British team when both countries’ anthems were played.
Ilay Yarhi, the Israeli wheelchair basketball player, said the British team’s gesture was “an attack on our dignity as players”.Yarhi said his team-mates “felt like they were bringing unrelated issues on to the court and humiliating us”.
He added that, following the incident, some of the Israeli players asked the British team why they had acted that way.
“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.”
Calls for gesture to be punished
Moshe “Mutz” Matalon, the president of the Israel Paralympic Committee, said: “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.
“We intend to appeal to the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation and express our protest against this disgraceful behaviour, demanding its intervention to ensure that such an incident does not occur again 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 Oct 7.”
Britain defeated Israel 74-64 before going on to claim overall victory in the event.
Critics of the British team’s gesture have pointed out that British Wheelchair Basketball received £4,925,000 in public funding from UK Sport for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics, an increase of 10 per cent from the 2024 Paris Games.
Lord 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 teams reminded of ban on political statements
ParalympicsGB is not the governing body for the Wheelchair Basketball Nations Cup, which is run by the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF).
But in a statement, ParalympicsGB reminded players of the ban on political statements at all official sporting events, saying: “The rule on Right to Protest . . . clearly states demonstrations, protests and political statements must not be made, on the field of play and during official ceremonies, including medal presentations and we expect all athletes representing ParalympicsGB to adhere to this.
“These allegations relate to a competition outside of the Paralympic Games when the athletes were competing under the auspices of British Wheelchair Basketball, so ParalympicsGB had no direct involvement and is not therefore able to comment further.
“ParalympicsGB respects the right of every athlete to have the freedom to express their views, while also acknowledging we must be sensitive as to where and when this takes place.”
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.”