An elite Irish ultimate frisbee team has called for Israel to be banned from competing in this year’s world championships.
Ranelagh Ultimate vowed to boycott any fixture it has with the Israeli team New Age, and called on the sport’s governing body, the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF), to either suspend them or make them compete as ‘neutrals’.
The World Ultimate Club Championship (WUCC), – the sport's biggest competition, takes place in Limerick, Ireland, from August 15th until August 22nd.
In a statement posted on Ranelagh’s Instagram, the Dublin-based team wrote: “We condemn the actions of Israel in Gaza and towards the Palestinian people.
"We are deeply concerned by the inclusion of New Age, a club team that will compete under the Israeli flag at WUCC and will effectively represent Israel and its actions.
“We believe it is wrong for a state plausibly committing a genocide in Gaza, according to the 2024 ruling by the International Court of Justice, to have representation at this tournament. To do so goes against the spirit of our sport and our moral conscience as a team.”
Ranelagh, which is hugely successful in the world of frisbee having won eight Irish titles, has also called on other competing teams to issue their own statements opposing New Age’s involvement, and asks the other teams to join their boycott.
Ranelagh also wrote that they “support peaceful protests from teams, organisations, and members of the public”, adding that they “condemn all violent or intimidating actions”.
They want all Israeli teams suspended for now, or for New Age to take part as neutrals not under the Israeli flag, The Irish Times reports.
In a statement, Ranelagh urged the WFDF to: “Suspend the participation of Israeli national and club teams in this and future tournaments until the ongoing large-scale violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza have ceased and accountability mechanisms are in place. This action would be consistent with WFDF’s policy from 2022.
"Or: impose a neutral designation on New Age. This would include, but is not limited to, no Israeli flag or state emblems to feature at the tournament.”
Ranelagh has said, however, that it is open to "dialogue" with New Age, based in Ra’anana, central Israel.
This is not the first time New Age has been met with difficulty when competing on the world stage; a youth competition in Belgium in 2024 saw them excluded over safety concerns, after graffiti displaying the worlds “boycott Israehll now” appeared on a wall near the pitch.
The JC has contacted the WFDF for comment.
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