Four days before the lighting of the flame for the Summer Olympics in Paris, the Israeli delegation has flown to the French capital. The team includes 88 athletes competing in 18 sports, including football players who have qualified for the Olympic tournament for the first time since 1976.
"The real victory will be our presence, no matter what. Medals will be a great joy for the Israelis. We take the Israeli flag with us, our strength, and the memory of October 7, which will forever be in our hearts. We will do everything to bring joy to the Israelis, but the main thing is that the hostages return home," said Yael Arad, head of the Israeli Olympic Committee.
Particular hopes are placed on the national judo team, Israel's leading sport. Judoka Petr Palchik will be the national team's flag bearer at the opening ceremony. It should be noted that the son of the team's head coach, Oren Smadji, Omer, died a month ago in a battle in central Gaza.
Israeli athletes will be competing for medals in a challenging environment. A global campaign to impose sanctions on Israel is gaining momentum. They must be prepared for biased attitudes from the stands and hope for fair judging at the competitions.
