Four Israeli athletes have been withdrawn from the City of Derry Triathlon in Northern Ireland, organisers confirmed on Thursday.
The withdrawal followed a request from the Israeli National Federation to “remove all the Israeli athletes entered”, according to the BBC.
The North West Triathlon Club (NWTC), which organises the race, earlier said they could not support Israeli athletes taking part, the BBC reported.
NWTC expressed concerns over “athlete and public safety” if Israeli participants were present, the report said.
The event, scheduled for Saturday with participant briefings on Friday, now has a “final start list” that organisers confirmed contains no athletes representing Israel.
NWTC said this is “not a position directed at anyone because of their religion or ethnicity, nor is it hostility towards an individual simply because they were born in Israel,” according to the BBC.
The club added that “it is a position concerning representation of the State of Israel in international sport and the attempt to present normality on the international sporting stage while Palestinians continue to suffer.”
Police became ‘aware of potential protest activity’ if Israelis were to participate
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) told BBC Northern Ireland that it had “become aware of potential protest activity in relation to the event.”
The event’s website states that selection and confirmation of athletes for the Europe Triathlon Cup competition is managed by Europe Triathlon under World Triathlon rules, and that it is not possible to comment on individual athletes’ circumstances. It adds that the Local Organising Committee has no role in selecting the international start list.
Europe Triathlon said after discussing the event with the LOC and the national federation that it is confident the race can proceed safely and provide a safe and enjoyable event for all athletes.
Anti‑Zionist groups, local councils praise lack of Israeli athletes as BDS victory, pro‑Israeli politician and Jewish community leader denounce decision
The Derry Anti War Coalition, a far‑left anti‑Zionist group, said on social media it is “elighted that the triathletes from Israel will no longer be participating in the City of Derry Triathlon.”
Members of Derry City Council also hailed the absence of Israeli participants as a victory for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Julie Middleton, a Democratic Unionist Party MLA representing Foyle, said the event should have been used to showcase the city’s “hospitality and openness”, but instead has become associated with the exclusion of athletes because they are Israeli.
Middleton belongs to the Democratic Unionist Party, a Protestant party whose members generally support Israel.
The city should be one “where visitors and athletes from every background are treated with dignity”, she said.
Deputy Chairman of the Belfast Jewish Community, Michael Black, told BBC Northern Ireland that the Israeli athletes not participating is “very disappointing but doesn’t come as a surprise”.
He accused Ireland, and by extension Derry, of having “the reputation of being one of the most antisemitic countries in Europe”.
He denounced the city and district council’s BDS policies, saying many of the accusations levelled against Israel are false.
The Jewish community extended its sympathy to all innocent people who have suffered terribly in this war on every side.
Sport should not be used to divide people, as this has done, and will do nothing to bring peace to the Middle East, he emphasised.
Sport should ‘not become vehicle for discrimination, division,’ Embassy of Israel in London says
The Embassy of Israel in London condemned the incident in a post on X/Twitter on Friday, calling the club’s decision “deeply troubling”.
“Sport should bring people together, not become a vehicle for discrimination and division,” the post stated. “If the NWTC cannot provide safety to all participants and event goers, it raises serious questions as to the ability to hold any future events.”
The post also called on the NWTC to “uphold the principles of equality, fairness and inclusion” and argued that Israeli athletes should have “the same right to compete as athletes from every other nationality.”
