Israeli Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar on Thursday called on the World Baseball Softball Confederation to act after Jerusalem’s team was banned from the annual PONY U-19 Palomino tournament in Stuttgart, Germany.
The Stuttgart Reds club reportedly vetoed the participation of Israeli athletes due to the “political situation” and fears that “troublemakers” would attack visiting Israelis.
“The decision seriously violates the fundamental values of sports, which stand first and foremost on principles of equality, unity and a complete separation between sports and politics,” Zohar wrote to the World Baseball Softball Confederation.
“I urge you to reconsider your decision, in accordance with the values of fairness and sportsmanship so that the Israeli team can participate in the tournament as any other team is entitled to do,” he continued.
“If the reason for your decision is security considerations, then it is the responsibility of local and international authorities to ensure the safety of all participants—and not to exclude an entire team because of its origin,” Zohar wrote.
Earlier this week, the Israel Association of Baseball blasted the move by the Stuttgart club, saying that Israeli athletes were being banned from competing “based on hypothetical scenarios and perceived risks.
“The IAB categorically rejects the notion that Israeli teams cannot participate safely in international events. This exclusion is a troubling precedent that could have far-reaching implications for the inclusion of teams from Israel and other nations in future sporting events,” it noted.
In November, a pogrom led by at least 100 Arab Dutchmen wounded 25 visiting Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam as they were returning from a match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local Ajax team.
Police were deployed in large numbers near the stadium but failed to protect the Israelis in the city center, where they walked into an ambush that had been planned days in advance by numerous Jew-hating rioters.
