Stay At Home


The International Olympic Committee has told Arab athletes to "stay at home" if they don't intend to compete against Israelis at the London Olympic Games.

The warning was issued by the IOC after the president of the Algerian Olympic Committee admitted his country's athletes could forfeit the Games, rather than face an Israeli opponent in London.

Top stories

buy this content Bookmark and Share
Rachid Hanifi said: "There is an obligation to ask our government if we have to meet Israel in sport. I think that is logical. It is not only a sports decision, it is a political decision. Our athletes represent the whole country, not just our Olympic committee. I hope we will not have this problem."

And when asked what would happen if an Algerian was due to face an Israeli, he added: "We will discuss this problem with our government before we go to the Olympic Games, we will have an official position."

Such a stance by Algeria or any other anti-Israel country would be a contravention of the Olympic Charter, and IOC spokeswoman Emanuelle Moreau said: "There can be no discrimination for any reason between participants at the Olympic Games.

Refusing to participate in an Olympic event because of a fellow athlete or team's religion or nationality, would not only be unsporting behaviour, but a serious breach of the IOC's Code of Ethics, the principles of the Olympic Charter and the Athletes Oath.

"If an athlete or team is unable to come to the Games in the spirit of friendship and fair play, then they should stay at home."

The previous two Olympic Games saw Iranian athletes failing to compete when scheduled to face Israelis.

At the 2008 Games in Beijing, Mohammad Alirezaei failed to compete alongside Israeli swimmer Tom Be'eri in the 100-metre breaststroke heats, claiming he was ill. Bookmark and Share