Helder Rauf, head of Iraq’s delegation to the Paris Olympics, said Saturday that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had rejected Iraq’s request not to fly the Israeli flag next to the Iraqi flag during soccer matches.
“When we arrived at the Lyon stadium, the Iraqi flag was flying next to the Israeli flag,” Rauf said. Complained This was reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Rauf said the delegation had twice emailed the IOC requesting the removal of the Israeli flag, but that the IOC had refused both times on the grounds that participating countries’ flags must be flown in “alphabetical order”.
The Israeli soccer team played at another venue, the Parc des Princes, under heavy security amid a possible terror attack. French police investigating He said there had been death threats against three Israeli Olympic athletes and hate crime threats during Israeli soccer matches.
Saturday’s games went ahead without any terrorist incidents, but there were a number of hate crimes, with Palestinian supporters waving banners reading “Genocide Olympics” and making “anti-Semitic gestures,” as a Paris Olympics spokesman said. Israel National News Quote Videos on social media showed protesters “giving Nazi salutes and chanting Nazi slogans” during the playing of the Israeli national anthem.
Israeli Team Lost to Paraguay4-2. Israel’s first Olympic game was a 1-1 draw with Mali last week.
The Israeli team’s final chance to advance to the knockout stage is Tuesday’s match against Japan.
Iraq does not officially recognize the existence of a Jewish state. Supported Since Hamas’ brutal attacks on Israeli civilians on October 7, the Iraqi government has constantly pointed the finger at the Palestinians. The Iraqi government has refused to condemn the October 7 atrocities.
Iraqi Parliament passed it A law will be passed in May 2022 making it a crime to normalize relations with the “Zionist state.” Originally proposed by Iraq’s leading Shiite Muslim cleric, Ayatollah Muqtada al-Sadr, the law would impose penalties of life imprisonment or even the death penalty on Iraqis who take steps to establish normal diplomatic relations with Israel.
First positive test for illegal doping at the Paris Olympics as a result The Iraqi judo player who was suspended on Friday, Sajjad Sehen, 28, tested positive for the steroids methandienone and boldenone.
