According to Press TV, members of the Swiss medal-winning team turned their backs on Israeli gold medalists during a performance of the occupation group’s national anthem on the medal podium of the sport in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, on Saturday.
Speaking to the YNET news site, Israeli fencer Aron Sarid said that the team shook hands before the contest, but at the end “someone avoided us.”
He added that Israeli team members were only noticed by Swiss protests after the ceremony where they saw the photographs of the incident.
Swiss actions add to the rise in athletes’ protests against Israeli crimes against Palestinians.
However, the ambassador of Switzerland’s Tel Aviv Simon Geisbuler lamented the actions of Swiss athletes.
“This action was not discussed with anyone in advance,” he said. “We will stand up to the athletes on our return and decide on our next step.”
Similarly, the Swiss Fencing Federation issued an apology.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sarr argued that the Swiss team’s quiet gestures were “disrespectful,” but many welcomed the team after denounced the brutal onslaught of Israel in Gaza, where at least 52,243 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed since October 2023.
MNA