British Wheelchair Basketball Team Apologises After Public Pressure Over Israeli Anthem Protest

The British Wheelchair Basketball team has issued a formal apology to the Israeli national wheelchair basketball team and the Israeli Paralympic Committee, following a controversial protest during the playing of the Israeli national anthem at the Nations Cup in Cologne last month.

The apology, dated 29 August, was published quietly on the organisation’s website and only came to light after pressure from campaigners and inquiries from the Great British PAC.

The statement reads:

“British Wheelchair Basketball has apologised to the Israeli National Wheelchair Basketball team and the Israeli Paralympic Committee following the incident during the Israeli national anthem at the Nations Cup on 16 August.

“The team acted in a manner that is inconsistent with our code of conduct and we regret any distress caused. We are continuing discussions internally and externally. We are committed to ensuring that all participants in our sport are treated with respect.”

The incident in question involved members of the British team turning their backs during the playing of Israel’s national anthem, Hatikvah, before a match in Cologne. The protest drew criticism from a range of organisations and individuals who viewed the act as inappropriate and politically charged.

One of the loudest responses came from the Great British PAC, a public advocacy group, which publicly condemned the protest in a widely circulated statement on 24 August.

In a post on social media that received over 16,000 likes, the group wrote:

“What an embarrassment our British Wheelchair Basketball team are. They turned backs during the Israeli national anthem. We fund them £4,925,000 to compete with dignity, NOT to insult, embarrass, and undermine.”

Attached to the post was a letter addressed to the British Wheelchair Basketball Team and its governing body, penned by Claire Bullivant, CEO of the Great British PAC. The letter expressed “utter disbelief and disappointment,” calling the protest “a clumsy, ill-informed political gesture,” and adding:

“How dare you use the generosity of the British taxpayer to indulge in virtue-signalling stunts that bring shame to our nation and distress to your fellow athletes? Your actions are beneath the standards we expect from those privileged enough to wear the flag.”

The letter went on to demand a public apology, warning that without it, the team’s continued public funding should be “seriously reconsidered.” British Wheelchair Basketball receives £4,925,000 in taxpayer funding via UK Sport for the Paralympic cycle leading up to Los Angeles 2028.

Following coordinated complaints from Great British PAC email warriors led by Caroline Smith, UK Sport began responding directly to individuals, confirming the existence of the apology and pointing to the statement on the governing body’s website.

In an email response shared with The Post, UK Sport said:

“Thank you for contacting UK Sport.
British Wheelchair Basketball, who are responsible for the actions of the team and athletes, have taken the matter very seriously. They have apologised publicly for the action the team took.

We recognise that athletes may hold strong views about global affairs. However, they are expected to respect the rules of international competition, including around conduct on the field of play.”

The initial incident occurred on 16 August, but no apology was issued publicly at the time. It remained undiscovered until grassroots campaigners prompted direct correspondence with UK Sport, ultimately leading to the unearthing of the quietly posted 29 August statement.

It is not currently known if the British Wheelchair Basketball governing body has issued any further public comment beyond the published statement. They have been approached for comment.