UK wheelchair basketball team 'snub' Israeli team during opening ceremony

Britain's wheelchair basketball team appeared to turn their backs on their Israeli counterparts at the opening ceremony of the Wheelchair Basketball Nations Cup in Cologne on Saturday.

The Paralympian team were seen pivoting away from the Israeli team while the country's national anthem was being played and their flag was raised.

The teams later shook hands, with Britain winning the game 74-64.

While it is unclear whether the team did it in protest of Israel's war on Gaza, many pro-Israel supporters have deemed the action "disrespectful".

The Israeli Paralympic Committee has filed a formal complaint with the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation, calling for sanctions on any athletes who repeat the gesture, claiming it was in breach of the rules that ban political protests at sporting events.

Ilay Yarhi, an Israeli wheelchair basketball player, told The Jerusalem Post that the move was "an attack on our dignity as players".

Yarhi alleged that the British players confirmed the gesture was an act of protest and a way of supporting world peace after being confronted by some of the Israelis.

A spokesperson for British Wheelchair Basketball told The Telegraph they were aware of the situation and will be continuing internal discussions after conversations with ParalympicsGB, IWBF, and the Israeli Paralympic Committee.

ParalympicsGB informed the publication that they reminded the players that demonstrations, protests, and political statements are banned on the field and during official ceremonies.

The organisation is not the governing body for the Wheelchair Basketball Nations Cup; the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation runs it.

Following Israel's war on Gaza, which has since killed over 62,000 Palestinians and caused famine in the enclave, there have been worldwide calls to boycott and remove Israeli sports teams from global events, along with acts of protest against Israeli teams.

Switzerland's youth fencing team apologised in April after refusing to face the Israeli flag at a U23 medal ceremony, while Ireland's women's national basketball team refused to shake hands with their Israeli opponents.

Earlier this week, Israeli forces killed prominent Palestinian basketball player Mohammed Shaalan, after he queued for food aid in Khan Younis.

The Palestinian Basketball Federation confirmed the killing, adding that Shaalah left behind six children and his six-year-old daughter, who suffers from kidney failure and blood poisoning.