Team Russia pulls out of Maccabiah Games

Maccabi Russia have withdrawn from the 21st Maccabiah Games taking place in Israel next month, Jewish News has learned.

The international Jewish sporting tournament will include delegations from more than 60 countries, but Russia will not be amongst them.

Maccabiah chiefs had initially intended to allow Russia to take part, despite President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

But organisers have now revealed that Russia withdrew months ago, ahead of the draw for events. Instead, Jewish athletes that made Aliyah from Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ukraine, United State and other countries to become Israeli citizens will compete as part of an “Olim” delegation under a special flag. It will have no association to Russia and the Russian flag.

Earlier this week, Jewish News revealed that a Russian open women’s beach volleyball team was listed to play with teams from Ukraine, USA and Israel. But that online listing has been described as an “administrative error”.