Maccabi GB has pulled its junior delegation out of this summer’s Maccabiah Games in Israel.
This means that no GB athletes aged between 12 and 19 will travel to Israel for the games, due to take place between 28 June and 14 July.
This follows the decision of Maccabi Canada and Maccabi South Africa, who have already withdrawn their junior athletes.
The Maccabi GB junior delegation was due to include 143 athletes and a further 28 people in the management team.
Stakeholders were told at a virtual meeting in April that the withdrawal would be confirmed by May 21 if the FCDO travel advice for Israel had not yet moved to green. It is still designated red due to regional instability, according to the FCDO, which means it advises against all travel to the country.
A decision for the participation of Maccabi GB’s delegation of adults in the open and masters sections will be made by June 15, with 98 and 89 participants (comprising athletes and management) in the categories respectively.
Maccabi GB said that it “anticipates that the majority of open and masters athletes and teams will also withdraw prior to next month’s deadline” because of “the ongoing FCDO position, the financial commitments due in relation to group flights, and the refund policy operated by Maccabi World Union [which organises the Games]”.
The “extremely difficult” decision has been made to reflect “the safeguarding, management, training, and operational requirements involved in taking a junior delegation to Israel”, they said.
Maccabi GB chair Jonathan Prevezer said that it is “an incredibly sad moment for everyone connected with team Maccabi GB”.
He continued: “Our junior athletes, their families, coaches, managers, and volunteers have given so much to this journey over the past three years, and we know how deeply disappointing this news will be.
“While our participation in the junior games themselves will now not take place, we want to make it clear that those efforts were not wasted. The friendships built, the experiences shared, the confidence gained, the lessons learned, and the pride of being selected to represent Maccabi GB remain incredibly special. Every athlete selected should be immensely proud of what they have achieved.”
This is the second time that the games have been disrupted by regional conflict; it was supposed to take place last summer but was postponed to this year due to the Twelve-Day War with Iran.
Maccabi GB CEO Ashley Lerner said: “The Maccabiah is one of the most important experiences in Jewish sport, and we fully recognise how painful this decision is for our athletes, families and wider community.
“However, Maccabi GB has been clear throughout that we can only attend if it is safe, responsible, and in line with UK Government travel advice. The safety, security, and wellbeing of our delegation must always come first.”
Maccabi World Union has confirmed that the Maccabiah Games will take place this summer unless it is required to cancel by the Israeli government. The sporting event takes place every four years.
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