Israel looks to diaspora to boost Olympic bid

Israel will select a maximum of five athletes for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, although the secretary-general of the Olympic Committee of Israel admits that there is “no hope” of the country gaining a medal.

The squad, which flies out to Canada in preparation for the games in early February, will include two figure skaters in the singles competition and a skier, whilst there could also be a involvement in the figure skating pairs if they make the qualification standard.

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Jewish businessmen on board for Olympic Park

Three Jewish businessman have been appointed on to the Olympic Park Legacy Company’s new board responsible for the management, business planning and marketing of the Olympic Park leading up to the 2012 London Games and beyond.

Philip Lewis is a former chairman of Sport England. He was also part of the Great Britain Maccabiah Over 45 team who won gold in Israel in July. A trustee at London Maccabi, he is also Deputy Chairman of Lambert Smith Hampton.

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Nazis used man in women's Olympics

A new film reveals how the Nazis replaced a female Jewish athlete with a man in drag during the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

The feature film Berlin 36, which opens in Germany next week, tells the story of star high-jumper Gretel Bergmann. Ms Bergmann was banned from competing in the Olympics to shield Hitler from the embarrassment of a Jewish athlete winning.

Bergmann’s replacement was her roommate Horst Ratjen, who posed as “Dora”. He kept his gender secret from his teammates by shaving his legs several times a day and showering alone.

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Kosher Big Mac offer for the Olympics

A mouth-watering prospect has been raised for the London Olympics in three years’ time — and it has nothing to do with sport.

Orthodox Jews who are enthusiastic sports fans usually ensure they have something to eat at such events by taking a packed lunch.

But that might not be necessary if the Jewish Committee for the London Games, part of the London Jewish Forum, gets its way.

It has asked the Games’ organisers to set up kosher food stands provided by the Games’ main food sponsor, McDonald’s.

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Sport in brief

Shaftesbury Barnet Harrier Richard Goodman, 15, won the combined Under 17 and Under 20 North Thames Cross Country Championships in Kingsbury.

Competing against runners-up to four years his senior, Goodman of Stanmore finished 55 seconds clear of the rest of the field. “Before the race, former world record holder Dave Bedford told me that I could be the next Dave Bedford, and that I had the perfect physique for cross-country and middle-distance. That encouragement inspired me to run what I think is one of my best races.”

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Big Macc squeezed on funds

There are fears that next year's Jewish Olympics could be scaled down as a result of the credit crunch.

The latest financial crisis engulfing July's Maccabiah Games revolves around the failure of the organisers to raise sufficient sponsorship funds due to the global recession.

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Paralympic athletes frustrated by lack of funds

Israel's Paralympic squad have blamed financial constraints for their disappointing performance in Beijing.
The 42-person delegation returns home today with less than half the medals they won in Athens four years ago and without a single gold.

Israel claimed six medals, five silver and one bronze, compared to 13 medals in the last games, which included four golds.

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Silver-lining as Pezaro makes waves in Beijing

Israeli swimmer Inbal Pezaro emerged as the country's biggest star in the opening stages of the Paralympics in Beijing.

Pezaro - who was born with a spinal disorder that left her paralysed from the legs down - claimed silver in both the 100 metres and 200 metres freestyle, thus improving on her medal haul in the 2004 Athens Paralympics where she took silver and bronze.

Pezaro, who serves as a volunteer swimming instructor in the IDF, hopes to extend her medal haul when she competes in the 50 metres freestyle and 100 metres breaststroke.

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