Israeli sports czar on Olympics: Israel needs to feel proud, especially now

The 2024 Paris Olympic Games is a time for everyone in Israel to feel a sense of pride, especially during the ongoing war, Yesh Atid MK Simon Davidson told Tamar Uriel-Beeri on The Jerusalem Post Podcast. 

This year's Olympics come as Israel is still in the midst of its ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza. It is a conflict that has attracted widespread protests throughout the world, and had even sparked calls for Israel to be boycotted from the games. And indeed, Israel expects protests to be held during the games as well. 

"There will be lots of protests around the games," Davidson said, noting that the games will be held throughout Paris and the protests will follow.

"However, I feel the athletes will actually be better because of this situation," he continued. "They feel that, especially these days, they have to do everything... for the pride of Israel."

Ultimately, once the Israeli athletes step up for their respective events, "Everyone will be excited. It doesn't matter if they are Arabs or haredim. Everyone will be in tears, because we need this pride, especially [now]," the MK noted.

Proving Israelis can do sports too

Davidson is a longtime athlete himself, spending six years as head of the Israel Swimming Association and heads the Knesset subcommittee on Israeli sports. 

For him, Israel's athletic success is of great importance, noting how the Jewish state's Olympians have good chances to win medals this year, particularly in swimming, gymnastics, sailing, and Israel's historic Olympic specialty of judo.

"Five medals are something that we can get from the Olympic Games realistically," he said.

Davidson explained that Israel has had an advantage in the Olympics due to being exposed to diverse training methods. 

He noted that in swimming, Israel's Olympic prospects changed in 2016 when American Olympic swimming coach David Marsh became head coach for the Israel Swimming Association. 

"Our swimmers always trained against Israeli swimmers," Davidson said. "And that changed with David Marsh. The American system [of training] is to open the swimmers to the world. They started to train with the best swimmers in the world."

Israel also saw other changes in the late 1980s and early 1990s with the massive influx of Russian olim (immigrants). This brought lots of coaches to Israel who were familiar with the Russian style of training - which Davidson noted is very different from the American system.

Other international coaches have also come to the Jewish state over the years, which have helped athletes be exposed to better and more diverse training methods.

"I believe that when our athletes... are training with the best coaches [and] the best athletes every day, they can be the best in the world," Davidson said. "The saying that Jewish people can only play music or get Nobel Prizes is not true. We can be very good at sports."

This is something that the government seems to understand, allocating NIS 10 million on Israel's Olympic delegation of 88 athletes and the huge delegation of Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) agents to provide security for the competitors.

But despite this Israel’s potential for athletic success, and despite the potential sports has to change the culture of a country, athletics in Israel is extremely underfunded, especially compared to other countries. 

"The budget for sports in Israel is 0.15% of the [state] budget," Davidson said. "In Greece, it's 1%. In France, it's 2%. Germany is 3%... even third world countries are putting in more money for sports."

He noted that the lack of funding and subsequent lack of good sports facilities is a hindrance for Israeli athletes, and said bringing in coaches from abroad was simply cheaper. But even still, it has resulted in a financial glass ceiling for athletic success. 

"If you want to play sports at high levels in Israel, you need a family with money," Davidson noted, citing the high cost.