Sports
Outrage after French MP says Israelis not welcome at Olympics
A French hard-left MP sparked a political row Sunday by saying Israeli athletes were not welcome at the Paris Olympics because of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, which one senior minister said had “hints of anti-Semitism”.
France Unbowed (LFI) lawmaker Thomas Portes was “putting a target on the backs of Israeli athletes”, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told broadcaster France 2, echoing criticisms made by a major Jewish group earlier Sunday.
Yonathan Arfi, head of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France, said Israeli athletes were “already the most in danger at the Olympic Games”, referencing the 11 “murdered by Palestinian terrorists” in 1972 at the Munich Games.
In a post on X, Arfi branded Portes’s comments “irresponsible” and accused him of “legitimising Hamas”, the Palestinian militant group whose October 7 attacks on Israel sparked the Gaza war.
Portes had said at a rally in support of Palestinians that “the Israeli delegation is not welcome in Paris. Israeli sportspeople are not welcome at the Paris Olympic Games” and called for “mobilisation” around the event.
He later told the Parisien newspaper that “France’s diplomats should pressure the International Olympic Committee to bar the Israeli flag and anthem, as is done for Russia”.
“It’s time to end the double standard,” Portes added.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a limited number of Russian athletes will be allowed to compete in Paris as individuals and not under their country’s colours, and only after being vetted to ensure they have not expressed support for the war.
• Gaza war divides left –
Opposition to Israel’s campaign in Gaza was a centrepiece of LFI’s campaign ahead of European elections last month.
The territory’s Hamas-run health ministry said Sunday that almost 39,000 people had been killed in the fighting, most of them women and children.
Perceived ambiguity in LFI’s response to the October massacre broke apart an alliance of left-wing parties, which grudgingly reformed for this month’s parliamentary polls but has since struggled to find common ground despite coming first.
Beyond Darmanin and the Jewish group, Portes also came under attack from nominal parliamentary allies in the Socialist party and conservatives.
“Of course Israeli athletes are welcome, like all sportspeople from all over the world. Not for who they are but for what they do,” Socialist MP Jerome Guedj posted.
Some LFI lawmakers came out in support of Portes.
“The Israeli flag, stained with the blood of Gaza’s innocents, should not fly in Paris this summer,” MP Aymeric Caron wrote.
Israel’s football team is set to play its first Olympic match against Mali in Paris’ Parc des Prince stadium on Wednesday, two days before the opening ceremony.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s office said Sunday that he would attend Friday’s boat parade on the river Seine and a commemoration for the Israelis killed in Munich in 1972.
AFP.
Nigeria’s U-20 national team, the Flying Eagles, have secured a place in the semifinals of the Africa Cup of Nations U-20 tournament and qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Senegal.
The tightly contested knockout stage encounter ended goalless after regular and extra time, with both teams unable to find the back of the net.
Ultimately, it was Nigeria who triumphed 3–1 in the penalty shootout.
The match, held in the knockout stage of the continental youth championship, saw the two sides locked in a stalemate throughout regulation and extra time.
Despite numerous attempts from both sides, neither team could break the deadlock, leading to a penalty decider.
Nigeria converted three of their spot-kicks, while Senegal managed only one, allowing the Flying Eagles to clinch the win and progress to the last four of the competition.
The result not only sends Nigeria into the semifinals of the U-20 AFCON but also confirms their place in the upcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Veteran Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti has been officially appointed as the new head coach of Brazil’s national football team, according to reports by sports journalist David Ornstein. The 65-year-old will take over the role on May 26, immediately after overseeing his final match with Real Madrid against Real Sociedad in La Liga.
Ancelotti’s appointment marks a historic moment as he becomes the first foreigner to manage Brazil’s senior men’s team. Ornstein confirmed that all agreements have been finalized and contracts signed, with the transition negotiated amicably between Ancelotti, Real Madrid, and the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF). The deal was led by Diego Fernandes on behalf of the CBF.
One of the most decorated coaches in football history, Ancelotti will be tasked with leading Brazil through their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign, aiming for a record-extending sixth World Cup title when the tournament kicks off in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The Athletic previously reported that Ancelotti had agreed to take charge through the 2026 World Cup. He will succeed Dorival Júnior, who was dismissed in March after 14 months at the helm.
Ancelotti’s debut on the Brazil touchline is expected on June 6, in a World Cup qualifier against Ecuador.
Since returning to Real Madrid in 2021, Ancelotti has added two La Liga titles and a Champions League trophy to his illustrious resume, which includes eight major European finals. However, recent performances by Madrid have been underwhelming, including a Champions League quarter-final exit to Arsenal, a Copa del Rey final loss to Barcelona, and trailing Hansi Flick’s side by seven points in La Liga with three games to go.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele was named the Ligue 1 player of the year on Sunday, after leading the club to a 13th French title and the Champions League final.
Dembele is the top scorer in Ligue 1 this season with 21 goals and has struck 33 times in 46 matches across all competitions, including eight goals in Europe.
He succeeds Kylian Mbappe who won the prize five times in a row before departing for Real Madrid at the end of last season.
Luis Enrique earned coach of the year honours at the UNFP (French players’ union) Trophies gala, while Desire Doue took home the prize for the best young player in Ligue 1.
Lille’s Lucas Chevalier denied PSG a clean sweep of the accolades as he beat Gianluigi Donnarumma to the best goalkeeper award.
PSG are on course for a treble after easing to an 11th Ligue 1 title in 13 years. They will play Inter Milan in the Champions League final on May 31, a week after facing Reims in the French Cup showpiece.
AFP
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