EXCLUSIVE: Russia to play Ukraine in Maccabiah Games beach volleyball
Draw for next month's tournament in Israel has Russian team competing against Germany, Ukraine, the home nation and USA, in women's open beach volleyball tournament.
Russia has been drawn to play in the same group as Ukraine in the women’s beach volleyball competition at next month’s Maccabiah Games, Jewish News can reveal.
The draw for the international Jewish sports tournament, dubbed the third biggest sports event in the world, took place last month with Russian teams still allowed to take part despite Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, it has been banned from competing in any sporting event.
It is understood that discussions about Russia’s participation in the Maccabiah Games, which run from July 12-26th, have been on-going among tournament organisers
In March one Maccabiah source justified Russia’s inclusion by insisting the Jewish sporting organisation was not political.
The beach volleyball open women’s group is shown to contain Germany, Russia, USA, Ukraine, Israel 1 and Israel 2 teams.
Russia does not appear to have any other teams listed as competing in other sports.
In March the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) banned the Russian and Belarussian teams from the Beijing Winter Olympics, despite initially insisted they could compete under a neutral flag.
The Maccabiah is believed to be the third-biggest international sporting event in the world, with over 10,000 athletes participating in 2017, the most recent edition.
Jewish News has approached Maccabiah representatives for further clarification on Russia’s involvement in Maccabiah 2022.
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