World Bowls Tour Allows Israeli Participation, Reversing Previous Discriminatory Decision 

The World Bowls Tour (WBT) on December 31 reversed its decision to bar three Israeli athletes from competing in the World Indoor Bowls Championships to be held in England in mid-January. Allowing the Israelis to compete is a welcome reversal of the previous capitulation to pressure from pro-Palestinian campaigners, which — while framed around security concerns — would have nevertheless instituted discrimination based on national origin. 

WBT Target of Anti-Israel Campaigns 

The WBT oversees competitions in lawn bowling, a sport similar to bocce. The WBT faced a pressure campaign to bar Israeli bowler Shalom Ben Ami from the Scottish International Open in November. The lawn bowling association announced that Ben Ami withdrew “due to personal reasons.” However, in its initial decision to exclude Israeli athletes from the upcoming event in January, the WBT cited “a significant escalation in related political concerns” related to Ben Ami’s planned participation in August. 

The WBT clarified that it was “in a very difficult position in relation to the security of the venue and to the competitors and other attendees.” Though its decision to bar Israeli athletes from the January event was strictly related to security and not an endorsement of the agenda of those campaigning to exclude Israelis, the initial result — banning Israelis — amounted to the same. Ultimately, the WBT was able to include the Israelis by “increas[ing] … the security presence at the event.” 

Pressure to Allow Israeli Participation 

Other groups pressured the WBT to ensure the Israeli competitors could participate. UK Lawyers for Israel, a UK-based legal advocacy group, wrote to the WBT that its decision to exclude Israelis was illegal. A letter signed by over 100 UK parliamentarians urged the WBT to reverse its decision.  

British parliamentarian Rupert Lowe, who represents the district in which the January competition will be held, said he was “disgusted” by the “pro-Palestine mob.” He further condemned the WBT’s initial capitulation: “What message does this send? If the mob screams and shouts, they can get competitors of a certain nationality banned from entry? It is insanity, pure insanity. The organizers are cowards. Sport should be a unifier, and it should be above politics.” 

Campaigns to Bar Israelis From Sporting Competitions 

Israeli athletes have suffered discrimination and exclusion for decades. For example, in March 2023, FIFA, the governing body of international soccer, relieved Indonesia of its hosting rights for the under-20 World Cup over its inability and/or unwillingness to ensure the free and fair participation of Israeli athletes. A slew of activist groups and individuals have increased their efforts to ban Israelis from international sporting events in the wake of Israel’s military response to the Hamas atrocities of October 7, 2023.  

In January 2024, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) decided to prevent the Israeli team from participating due to security concerns. The IIHF ultimately allowed Israeli participation after the U.S. National Hockey League expressed concern, resolving the issue before the Court of Arbitration for Sport could hear the case at Israel’s request. Also in January 2024, a Dutch climbing competition barred an Israeli climber for her safety, “the safety of the other competitors, … and the visitors.” Palestinian and other anti-Israel groups unsuccessfully lobbied to ban Israel from the 2024 Olympics and continue to campaign to remove Israel from FIFA. 

Capitulation Encourages Harassment 

The WBT set a dangerous precedent by adhering to the protesters’ demands and initially excluding Israeli athletes based on their national origin. Sporting event organizers have increasingly acceded to the demands of anti-Israel protesters by excluding Israelis based on the perceived threats and risks to the broader competitions. Regardless of the motivations, this contributes to efforts to boycott Israel — an introduction of politics into sports that undermines key values of sportsmanship and fair play. The WBT’s ultimate decision to increase security and stand up to “the mob” is the only way to prevent discriminatory campaigners from holding a heckler’s veto over sporting competitions. 

David May is a research manager and senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy. Follow David on X @DavidSamuelMay. Follow FDD on X @FDD.