BICOM

The governing body of the Rio Olympics intervened on Sunday after a clash between the Lebanese and Israeli teams at the opening ceremony on Friday evening.

The Lebanese delegation refused to allow the Israeli athletes to board the official bus to the opening ceremony, and then physically blocked them from boarding. The Israeli athletes insisted on boarding, but acquiesced after Olympics organisers brought a second bus for the team.

The Times of Israel quoted Israeli sailing coach Udi Gal describing the incident: “I kept on insisting that we board the bus and said that if the Lebanese did not want to board as well they are welcome to leave. The bus driver opened the door, but this time the head of the Lebanese delegation blocked the aisle and entrance. The organisers wanted to avoid an international and physical incident and sent us away to a different bus.”

According to Haaretz, Lebanese coach Salim al-Haj Nakoula boasted to local newspaper al-Noor: “I asked the bus driver to close the door but the guide with the Israeli team prevented him from doing so… I then stood at the door of the bus to prevent the Israel team from entering.”

However, after he was summoned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Nakoula claimed that the whole incident was a misunderstanding and that he had not tried to block the Israeli delegation from boarding. The IOC gave the team a formal warning.

In related news, Saudi Arabian judoka Joud Fahmy forfeited her first-round match on Sunday, claiming that she was injured. According to Israeli media reports on Channel 2, Fahmy was not hurt and dropped out to avoid facing Israeli judoka Gili Cohen, who she would have had to fight in the next round.