Fury as British Paralympians turn backs during Israeli national anthem in 'hugely offensive' protest
By ADAM POGRUND,
Britain's wheelchair basketball team has been furiously condemned for their 'hugely offensive' behaviour after turning away from the podium during the Israeli national anthem.
The Paralympic 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, the Hatikvah, was played.
The incident, which has been branded an 'attack on the dignity' of Israel's players, occurred last Saturday during the opening ceremony of the Wheelchair Basketball Nations Cup in Cologne.
As the national anthem began to ring, the British players turned away, so they were not facing the two countries flags, in what appeared to be a protest over Israel's military campaign in Gaza.
It comes amid the Middle Eastern county's invasion of Gaza following the October 7 massacre by Hamas, where 1,200 people were killed by the terrorist group.
More recently, Israel's defence minister, Israel Katz, warned 'the gates of hell will soon open up' on Hamas if it does not accept a peace deal on the country'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 said his team-mates 'felt like they were bringing unrelated issues on to the court and humiliating us'.
Mr Yarhi also revealed some Israeli players later challenged the British team on why they turned their wheelchairs around.
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
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Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu brands UN's Gaza famine declaration an 'outright lie'
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'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.'
Elsewhere, former Labour MP, Lord Ian Austin, condemned the act as a 'hugely offensive gesture', which brings 'shame on the British team'.
The 60-year-old politician said not only have the athletes 'betrayed' the proud history of Paralympic sports but had showed their 'ignorance' to Israel's diverse society. .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (above) has hit out at a United Nations-backed report declaring famine in Gaza City, calling it an 'outright lie'
People watch as smoke billows following an Israeli strike in Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip on May 25, 2025
The report said starvation in the Strip 'is present and rapidly spreading' (Pictured: Palestinians desperately waiting for food on August 21)
It came as Israeli defence minister Israel Katz (above) warned Gaza City could 'turn into Rafah and Beit Hanoun' – areas that have been reduced to rubble by the Israel Defence Forces
Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the UN findings as 'utterly horrifying' and called on Israel to allow more aid into the war zone
'The British basketball team must now apologise for their insulting behaviour and pledge that there will never be any repeat,' he told The Telegraph.
'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 Paralympics GB 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 Paralympics GB, IWBF, and the Israeli Paralympic Committee.'
It comes after Israel has hit out at a United Nations-backed report declaring famine in Gaza City, calling it an 'outright lie'.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report said starvation in the Strip 'is present and rapidly spreading'.
It warned the situation was 'entirely man-made' and without a ceasefire to allow in aid 'avoidable deaths will increase exponentially'.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the findings as 'utterly horrifying' and called on Israel to allow more aid into the war zone.
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