Israel at the Olympics

Israel has competed in the Olympic Games as a nation since 1952. The country's National Olympic Committee was formed even earlier, in 1933, during the time when the region was known as the British Mandate of Palestine. Since 1952, Israel has sent athletes to every Summer Olympic Games, except for the 1980 Games when many countries, including the United States, boycotted the event. Israel also began sending athletes to the Winter Olympic Games in 1994.

In 2024, Israel made history at the Summer Olympics by winning seven medals, which was the most the country had ever won in a single Olympic Games. This achievement showed the growth and success of Israeli athletes on the world stage. In 1994, Israel also joined the European Olympic Committees, becoming part of this group of European nations that support the Olympics.

Medal tables

See also: All-time Olympic Games medal table

Medals by summer sport

List of medalists

History

See also: Jewish Olympics

In 1933, the Palestine National Olympic Committee was formed and recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 1934. It couldn't compete in the 1936 games because they were held in Nazi Germany, and the next two games were cancelled due to World War II. In 1948, after Israel was established, it tried to join the Olympics but wasn’t recognized yet. By 1952, the National Olympic Committee was reorganized and renamed the Olympic Committee of Israel, and it was recognized by the International Olympic Committee that same year.

Israel’s first Olympic medal came in 1992 in Judo, with Yael Arad winning silver and Oren Smadja winning bronze. Since then, Israel has won medals in several Summer Olympics. Gal Fridman became Israel’s first gold medallist in 2004 in windsurfing. In the 2020 Games, Israel won two gold medals—one by Artem Dolgopyat in gymnastics and another by Linoy Ashram in rhythmic gymnastics—and two bronze medals. Through 2022, Israel has not won any medals in the Winter Olympics.

Ágnes Keleti, who moved to Israel in 1957, won ten medals for Hungary in the 1952 and 1956 Olympics. Israel has been more successful at the Paralympic Games than at the Olympics, earning 375 medals between 1960 and 2016.

Conflicts with nations

See also: Boycotts of Israel in sports

1972 Summer Olympics

Main article: Munich massacre

During the 1972 Summer Olympics, a sad event happened. Eleven members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken and sadly could not continue in the Games. This made the Israeli team leave the rest of the Olympics.

On August 3, 2016, before the 2016 Summer Olympics began, leaders of the Olympic Games honored these athletes for the first time. They were also honored when the 2020 Summer Olympics started.

1980 Summer Olympics

Israel decided not to join the 1980 Summer Olympics to show they were unhappy with some actions by another country.

2004 Summer Olympics

During the 2004 Summer Olympics, an athlete from Iran did not compete against an Israeli athlete. This caused some questions, but nothing more happened.

2016 Summer Olympics

Before the 2016 Summer Olympics began, some athletes from different countries did not want to compete or share a bus with Israeli athletes.

2024 Summer Olympics

In 2024, some athletes missed their weight checks to avoid competing against Israeli athletes, and some did not shake hands after their matches.

Olympic participants

Israel has been part of the Olympic Games since 1952. The country's National Olympic Committee was created even earlier, in 1933.

Israel has sent athletes to every Summer Olympics since 1952, except when they joined a boycott in 1980. For Winter Olympics, Israel began sending athletes in 1994 and has done so ever since.