Britain’s wheelchair basketball team is under mounting pressure to apologise after players turned their backs during Israel’s national anthem at the Wheelchair Basketball Nations Cup in Cologne.
The protest, staged by the players but not their coaches, came as Israel’s flag was raised and Hatikvah played before the group stage match between the two nations last Saturday. The gesture is understood to have been a protest against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Outcry from Israel
The Israeli Paralympic Committee has lodged a formal complaint with the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF), calling the act “deeply disrespectful”. Its president Moshe “Mutz” Matalon said:
“Such conduct is deeply disrespectful to the athletes, stands in clear contradiction to the Paralympic spirit and undermines not only wheelchair basketball but also Israeli sport and the State of Israel as a whole.”
Israeli player Ilay Yarhi described the incident as “an attack on our dignity as players”. He told The Jerusalem Post: “Some of the British players answered that it was a protest and a way of supporting world peace, that they were not in favour of war. Some wanted to come and talk and apologise – but we didn’t agree to that because, if you don’t respect us, you don’t deserve any respect in return.”
Funded by taxpayers
Critics have highlighted that British Wheelchair Basketball receives £4.9 million in public funding from UK Sport for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics, a 10% increase on its Paris 2024 allocation.
Former MP Lord Austin said: “This hugely offensive gesture brings shame on the British team, whatever their motivation. Not only have these Paralympians betrayed the proud history of an international sporting movement that transcends borders, but they have also shown their ignorance about the diverse nature of Israeli society, reflected by a team in which Jewish and Arab players together strive for victory.”
Great British PAC’s intervention
Claire Bullivant, CEO of the Great British PAC, issued a blistering open letter to the team, which has already gained more than 14,000 likes on social media. She accused the players of abusing their position and taxpayer support:
“Your conduct during the playing of the Israeli national anthem at the Wheelchair Basketball Nations Cup in Cologne was nothing short of disgraceful,” she wrote.
“The decision to turn your backs, quite literally, on your opponents during a solemn and respectful moment was deeply offensive, not only to the Israeli team but to all those who believe sport should be a place of unity, not division.
“It is beyond comprehension that representatives of our country, funded to the tune of £4,925,000 of public money, would choose to use that platform for what can only be described as a clumsy, ill-informed political gesture. You were not elected, mandated, or authorised to act as moral ambassadors on behalf of the British public.”
Bullivant went on to criticise the players for what she called “ignorance dressed up as moral conviction”:
“When questioned about your protest, many of you could offer nothing more than vague, muddled references to ‘world peace.’ It was painfully evident that several of you had no real understanding of the conflict at hand — no defined cause, no coherent position, just hollow slogans and sentimental soundbites. This wasn’t principled activism; it was ignorance.”
Her letter concluded with a warning that unless the team issues a public apology, its right to represent Britain and continue receiving taxpayer funding should be “seriously reconsidered”.
Governing body response
ParalympicsGB, while not responsible for the Nations Cup, reminded athletes that political protests are banned at international competitions: “Demonstrations, protests and political statements must not be made on the field of play and during official ceremonies, including medal presentations, and we expect all athletes representing ParalympicsGB to adhere to this.”
British Wheelchair Basketball has said it is “continuing discussions” with ParalympicsGB, the IWBF and the Israeli Paralympic Committee.
The British Wheelchair Basketball Governing Body have been approached for comment.
