In a move underscoring how geopolitical tensions continue to spill over into the world of sports, Jordan’s national under-19 basketball team has pulled out of a scheduled World Cup game against Israel, citing the ongoing war in Gaza as the reason.
Just hours before tip-off on Sunday at Lausanne’s Cooly Arena, Jordan formally notified the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) of its decision to boycott the match. As a result, Israel was awarded a 20-0 technical victory — its second win in the group stage after defeating host nation Switzerland 102-77 in its tournament debut.
Jordan, on the other hand, lost its opener to the Dominican Republic 69-79, and its refusal to face Israel now places its future in the tournament in question.
During Israel’s earlier match against Switzerland, tensions were already visible when a pro-Palestinian protester stormed the court waving a Palestinian flag. The incident briefly halted the game and highlighted the charged atmosphere surrounding Israel’s participation in the championship.
While such a forfeit could have led to Jordan’s disqualification from the tournament, FIBA has so far refrained from taking disciplinary action, likely in an effort to avoid further disruption to the early playoff rounds.
Reacting to the decision, Israel Basketball Association chairman Amos Frishman expressed disappointment but remained hopeful for better understanding through sport.
“I regret the decision of the Jordanian team,” he said in a statement. “I had hoped they would still show up and play — to demonstrate that even in difficult times, sports can serve as a bridge between people and cultures. I hope that in the future, such games will take place without hesitation.”
This isn’t the first time politics has cast a shadow over international sports. Numerous teams and athletes have refused to compete against Israelis in recent years, often citing solidarity with the Palestinian cause. The boycott by Jordan adds to a growing list of such incidents during Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza.
Activists have also taken their protests to international governing bodies. Last year, pro-Palestinian groups urged FIFA to suspend Israel from global football competitions. The federation postponed its decision, ultimately allowing Israel to retain eligibility for this summer’s Olympic football tournament in Paris.
The conflict that sparked these tensions remains devastating in its scope. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, over 53,000 people in the enclave have been killed or presumed dead since the fighting erupted. However, those figures remain unverified and do not distinguish between civilians and fighters.
Israel, for its part, says it has killed more than 20,000 Hamas militants in Gaza and 1,600 terrorists during the October 7 attacks inside Israel. It maintains that civilian casualties are a tragic consequence of Hamas’s strategy of embedding itself in civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, mosques, and hospitals.
Since launching its ground offensive, Israel’s military has suffered 440 casualties, a toll that includes police officers and civilian contractors. While the battlefield remains active, its echoes are being felt far beyond — including on basketball courts thousands of miles away
