According to the President of the Israeli Olympic Committee, 17 Israeli athletes also died in the Hamas terrorist attack. Yael Arad confirmed this to ARD on the sidelines of the International Olympic Committee session in Mumbai, India.
The former judo Olympic medalist also expressed concern about the safety of Israeli athletes in future competitions. The top athletes were accommodated in the national competitive sports center Wingate in Netanya, north of Tel Aviv. “For them, sport is the most important thing, but a human life is even more important,” said Arad: “We now have to ensure that athletes do not have to fear for their lives.” That is why top Israeli athletes are currently largely not allowed to compete to travel abroad. “It’s very hard for them, ten months before the Olympic Games it’s about points for participation,” said the 56-year-old: “But at the moment Israelis are not safe out in the world.”
Israel’s top sports official still expects around 90 athletes from her country to take part in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. However, around half still have to qualify. If Israelis are unable to travel to the elimination competitions due to the dangerous situation, the national Olympic committee would like to contact the sports associations and look for solutions. “We receive a lot of support from the international associations,” reported Arad. She is “very confident”.
Palestinian terrorists carried out a devastating attack on Israeli civilians on behalf of Hamas. So far there have been more than 1,400 deaths in Israel. The number of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip has risen to 3,000, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. (dpa)
2023-10-17 18:38:57
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