Paris 2024 Olympics: Israeli athletes face ‘psychological terror’ threats, ‘It’s not easy to be…'
Israeli National Olympic committee President Yael Arad said that the athletes received "centralized" threats meant to create "psychological terror."
Israeli athletes faced "psychological terror" threats at the 2024 Paris Games, its Olympic Committee recently revealed. On Wednesday, August 7, Israeli National Olympic committee President Yael Arad told The Associated Press that the athletes received "centralized" threats meant to create "psychological terror."
Tom Reuveny, 24, of the Israeli Olympic wind surfing team, also claimed that he received threats. "I don't think any politics should be involved in sport, especially in the Olympic Games," Reuveny said. "Unfortunately, there is a lot of politics involved—not in the Games—of the people who don't want us to compete and don't want us to be here. I've gotten quite a few messages and threats."
‘It’s not easy to be an Israeli athlete in the international arena these days’
A few days back, the Israeli men’s soccer team was booed by a group of antisemitic protesters who chanted “Heil Hitler” while the team was preparing to face off against Paraguay during the Paris Olympics. Some of the demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and some performed the Nazi salute. Many showed off a large sign with the words “Genocide Olympics” written on it.
A Paris Olympic organiser told Sky News, “Paris 2024 strongly condemns these acts. A complaint has been lodged by Paris 2024, which is at the disposal of the authorities to assist with the investigation.”
Days before this incident, protesters waved Palestinian flags and booed the soccer team before their match against Mali.
In fact, French police have launched an investigation after three Israeli athletes at the Olympic Games allegedly received death threats. Amid the threats, athletes had to be escorted to and from events in Paris by elite tactical units. The athletes were even given 24-hour protection.
“It’s not easy to be an Israeli athlete in the international arena these days,” Arad said, adding that the Olympics are a “bridge between people, between countries, between religions.”
We are here to compete,” Arad added.