The International Olympiad in Informatics has banned Israel from competing in 2025 due to the country’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the organization announced on Tuesday. The next olympiad is to take place in Bolivia.
It is one of the first international sancations against Israel since the start of the war nearly a year ago, Ynet reported.
“Members of the community requested that the IOI respond to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza caused by the ongoing conflict,” wrote IOI President Sun Teck Tan on the organization’s website.
“Israel will not be recognized as a participating delegation at IOI, but four contestants from Israel may still participate under the IOI flag,” he said, meaning Israelis could compete as neutrals without Israeli symbols or colors.
Israel’s Education Ministry responded forcefully to the decision, stating: “Israel will not be able to participate in the competition next year, but individually and not as an Israeli delegation under the Israeli flag? Not going to happen.”
The Israeli youth team “will carry the Israeli flag proudly on the way to many more victories and international achievements,” it said, adding that, in cooperation with the country’s Foreign Ministry, it was deciding what “decisive steps” it would take in response to the move by the IOI.
This year, Israel scored its greatest success at the competition since it began in 1964, winning three gold medals and a bronze, ranking it second out of 94 countries.
As the competition was held in Alexandria, Egypt, the Israeli competitors competed remotely due to security concerns.
