Why is Israel present in Olympics? Western double standards against Russia

Pars Today- Many organizations, campaigns and human rights and political activists have called for expulsion of the Zionist athletes from Paris Olympics for the recent days. But, the French officials, welcoming the Zionists, have proved their pleasure with their participation in the games.

Many human rights organizations and groups and social and cyberspace activists have set up campaigns calling for expulsion of Zionist athletes from France. According to Pars Today, the leaders of these campaigns say: "Glorification of human values of Olympic games are in contrast with the oppressive measures of Israel and genocide of Palestinians by the Zionist regime."

Many of these activists expected the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to show a reaction to the Israeli crimes in Gaza as the Israeli carnage has targeted even the athletes. This expectation was expressed due to the fact that the Palestinian Olympic Committee has been recognized by the IOC for years. Interestingly, the IOC has two commitments, namely, "promotion of a peaceful society which attaches importance to human dignity" and second, "respect for fundamental global ethical principles".

Yet, neither the commitments and mottos, nor recognition of the Palestinian Olympic Committee by IOC caused this international body to adopt stance in favor of the innocent people of Gaza. No sympathy with Palestine, no confrontation with Israel, and no other reaction!!!! This reveals glaring contradiction between mottos and declared principles and the real performance of the IOC.

This contradiction becomes clearer once we go two years back. When the Ukrainian war started, the IOC, very hastily, reacted to the issue and condemned Russia. One of the deputies of IOC said at that time, "War is against the Olympics ideal!!!!" He also said, "We condemn the measures of the Russian Federation. They have lost their membership right in the international Olympic community."

Due to this stance of the IOC, the Russian athletes will participate in Paris 2024 Olympics as "neutral athletes" and they have to observe very rigid conditions. For instance, they should compete without the Russian flag or national anthem. But, when the IOC president, Thomas Bach, was asked if Israel is allowed to take part in Paris Olympics or not, said, "There is no question on this issue!!!"

Then it was announced that 87 athletes of the regime would participate in the games with the flag of the child-killer regime.

This is while, the Russian special operation in Ukraine is by no means comparable with the devastation of Gaza by the savage Zionist regime.

Nearly 40 thousand Palestinians have been martyred since October 7, 2023 when the new round of Israeli attacks were launched in Gaza. British medical magazine, The Lancet, has calculated that if the indirect deaths and those who have been buried under the debris are taken into account, the real death toll of Palestinians will amount to 186 thousand. This is indeed genocide as Human Rights Watch founder, Aryeh Neier also admits.

Accordingly, many institutions and organizations have called for barring the athletes of the fabricated regime and whatever is related to this regime.

Why to ban Israel?

Perhaps the most important reason for banning Israel is the long list of this regime's crimes just in 10 months in the Gaza Strip:

• More than 16 thousand: number of Palestinian martyred children
• 11 thousand: number of Palestinian martyred women
• 520: number of martyrs in the medical sector
• 160: number of martyred journalists

Zionists against sports

However, the crimes of the Zionist regime against the Palestinian athletes and community is the most important reason to signify the banning of this regime in the greatest athletic event.

• 350: number of martyred athletes, referees and athletic staff (Palestinian football association statistics)
• 250: number of martyred athletes active in football
• 55: number of sports buildings that have been razed to the ground in bombing of Gaza
• %80: rate of destruction of athletic centers
• turning sports complex to detention center: exploitation of these centers for keeping Palestinian captives

Helen Sylert, Swedish political expert and human rights defender, saying that the IOC has the record of banning South Africa, Belarus and Russia, but keeps silent over banning Israel due to the Gaza war, stressed, "This duplicity reveals the hypocrisy of the Western world."

Many among the athletic community and human rights defenders are of the opinion that if the IOC does not change its course, there will remain nothing of the Olympics spirit.

Nevertheless, the Palestinian Olympic Committee (POC) has diligently collected a detailed file and presented it to the IOC which contains clear accounts of Israeli athletes that are in blatant contrast to the spirit of the Olympic values.

In one of these accounts, a few Israeli athletes, while visiting the soldiers deployed near Gaza, had shared their photos on social networks beside the missiles with signatures. POC Deputy Secretary-General Nader al-Jayooshi said on the issue, "We have raised this request due to the violation of human rights in Gaza and carnage of the innocent." He stressed that the Israeli athletes have behaved in a way that is against the spirit of the Olympics.

Al-Jayooshi pointed to the meeting of these athletes with the Israeli criminal soldiers and said, "Some of these athletes have paid a visit to the soldiers near Gaza to encourage the Israeli army." For instance, a Judo champion has published his photos beside missiles with signatures on social media and has written, "From me to you with pleasure."

Sources: Sports in Paris, Crime in Gaza / what is the reason for child-killer regime's presence in Olympics? 2024, Mehr News agency

Blood rings, 2024, ISNA news agency

Key phrases: France and Israel, Paris Olympics, Israeli crimes, Gaza war         

RM/ME