Israel's Olympic committee condemns blood-soaked Iranian propaganda targeting athletes

The Olympic Committee of Israel condemned the blood-soaked propaganda video published by Iran’s state television station Ofogh TV last week, a spokesperson told the Jewish Chronicle, the source published on Monday.  

“Not only that the Iranians are sending death threats to our athletes and putting their well-being in danger, they are now openly in a delegitimization campaign against them,” a spokesperson told the JC. “The blood depicted in the video is on Iran’s and their accomplices' hands”.

?This video was released and aired on IRANIAN TV last night during the #Olympics broadcast. pic.twitter.com/yyNAbxQEr6

— Jewish News Syndicate (@JNS_org) August 9, 2024

The Committee warned the video may incite further threats against Israel’s Olympic delegation, who have already been victim to Iran’s cyberbullying.

The video depicts a man in Olympic gear with a menorah tattooed near the base of his neck, shaking the hands of competitors. After shaking hands, competitors looked at their hands with a look of confusion.

The video proceeds to show the Israeli athlete, dressed in a white jacket sporting an Israeli flag, being cornered in the locker room by the other competitors. The competitors stain the jacket with blood, wiping their hands on the material. As the scene closes, a close-up shot of a blood-covered Israeli flag is revealed to the audience.

Israel’s Olympians suffer cyberbullying in Paris

The National Cyber Directorate announced in July that Iran had been conducting an influence campaign aimed at intimidating Israel’s Olympic delegation. 

Gabi Portnoy, head of the National Cyber Directorate, said, “Iran is exploiting an apolitical international sporting competition to promote digital terrorism against Israel and its right to participate in these competitions.”

“We are witnessing attempts by the Iranian regime to intimidate Israeli athletes and carry out psychological terror against our amazing delegation. We are here in Paris, continuing with full force, and nothing will stop us,” Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar remarked.

“Our athletes are more prepared and determined than ever to achieve great results, and our security apparatus is ready for any scenario. We will not relent until we topple the Iranian regime,” he added.

In addition to its cyberbullying campaign, Mossad found in May that Iran had been increasing terror support to criminal organizations in Europe leading up to the Olympic Games.