Boycotts of Israel in sports

Boycotts of Israel in sports refer to various diqualifications and denial of Israeli athletes. Due to the Arab–Israeli conflict, Israeli athletes and teams have been barred from some competitions. In many worldwide competitions, where Israel does take part, such as the Olympics, some Arab and Muslim competitors avoid competing against Israelis. Some countries even force their athletes not to compete against Israelis or in Israel.

Mushir Salem Jawher, a Kenyan-born marathoner, lost his Bahraini citizenship after competing in the Kinneret Marathon in Israel.

2009 saw an increased amount of full or partial boycotts of Israeli athletes, probably related to Arab/Leftist fury over Operation Cast Lead. Tennis star Shahar Peer was denied a visa to participate in a tournament in Dubai, leading to comments from stars like Serena Williams and Andy Roddick that were critical of the Dubai authorities' decision (Roddick pulled out of a tournament in the country afterwards); after a response that included a cable network cancelling its coverage of the event and a large fine for the Dubai Tennis Authorities, Dubai did issue a visa for Israeli tennis player Andy Ram to compete that year. In further tennis-Israel related news, authorities in Malmo wanted to cancel a Davis Cup match between Israel and Sweden because they didn't want the Israeli team competing in the city, but an unwillingness to accept a Swedish forfeit (which would have eliminated Sweden from the competition) led to barring spectators from the match instead.

Supporters of the Boycott Divestment Sanctions movements also tried and failed to have Israeli teams barred from the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics, and have also advocated for Israel to be expelled or suspended from FIFA (to which it was provisionally accepted in 1992, and as a full member in 1994). Israel's position as part of the European-focused group (UEFA) of FIFA's regional sets is based on a boycott itself, since the Asian Federation expelled Israel in 1974 at the behest of the numerous Arab/Muslim nations who are part of that group.

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