Why Israel was not banned from the Olympics: explanation from the IOC

Tengrinews.kz – After Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip, journalists asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to explain why the country has not been sanctioned.

On September 17, Israel officially declared the start of a ground assault on Gaza City, following which the UN Commission recognized Israel's actions as genocide.

A representative of the IOC explained:

"Both the National Olympic Committee of Israel and the National Olympic Committee of Palestine are recognized by the IOC and have equal rights. Both committees comply with the Olympic Charter, and we continue to work with them to try to mitigate the impact of the current conflict on athletes."

Some European leaders have argued that Israeli athletes should be banned from international competition, similar to the exclusion of Russian athletes.

"We see how European governments are already declaring that, while the barbarity continues, Israel should not be allowed to use any international platform to justify its presence. Sports organizations should ask themselves if it is ethical for Israel to continue participating in competitions. Why was Russia excluded after its invasion of Ukraine, but Israel was not excluded after its invasion of Gaza?" said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

The Palestinian National Olympic Committee has also called for Israel's exclusion from the IOC and the Olympic Games.

The next Olympic Games will be held in February 2026 in Milan, Italy. At present, some Russian athletes are allowed to compete under a neutral status, while no such restrictions have been imposed on Israeli athletes.