Israel at the 2026 Winter Olympics
| Israel at the 2026 Winter Olympics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| IOC code | ISR |
| NOC | Olympic Committee of Israel |
| Website | www |
| in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy 6 February 2026 – 22 February 2026 | |
| Competitors | 9 (7 men and 2 women) in 5 sports and 11 events |
| Flag bearers (opening) | Jared Firestone (Cortina) Mariia Seniuk (Milan) |
| Flag bearer (closing) | Barnabás Szőllős |
| Medals |
|
| Winter Olympics appearances (overview) | |
Israel competed at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, from 6 to 22 February 2026.
Figure skater Mariia Seniuk and skeleton racer Jared Firestone were the nation's flagbearers at the opening ceremony. Seniuk carried the flag at milan while Firestone carried the flag at cortina.[1][2] Alpine ski racer Barnabás Szőllős was the nation's flagbearer at the closing ceremony.[3][4][5]
The Israeli delegation did not win any medals at these games. Israeli athletes competed for the first time in Cross-country skiing and Bobsleigh.
Participation controversy
Israel’s participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics took place amid protests and political criticism related to the Gaza war. Demonstrations in Italy called for Israel to be barred from the Games, with activists arguing that the country should face restrictions similar to those imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.[6]
The Palestinian Olympic Committee and other critics accused the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of applying “double standards” by allowing Israel to compete while sanctioning Russia.[7] The IOC stated that the situations were “not comparable” and maintained that Israeli and Palestinian athletes should both be able to participate in the Olympic Games.[8]
During the Games, Israel’s participation also became the subject of a broadcast controversy after a Swiss television commentator questioned the presence of Israeli bobsleigh athlete Adam Edelman in the context of the Gaza war.[9]
Competitors
The Israeli delegation included 9 athletes, competing in 9 disciplines
| Sport | Men | Women | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine skiing | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Bobsleigh | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Cross-country skiing | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Figure skating | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Skeleton | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 7 | 2 | 9 |
Alpine skiing
Israel qualified one female and one male alpine skier through the basic quota.[10]
| Athlete | Event | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
| Barnabás Szőllős | Men's downhill | N/a | 1:57.03 | 30 | |||
| Men's super-G | 1:31.64 | 33 | |||||
| Men's giant slalom | 1:23.32 | 45 | 1:18.13 | 44 | 2:41.45 | 41 | |
| Men's slalom | 1:03.32 | 26 | 1:02.36 | 27 | 2:05.68 | 26 | |
| Noa Szőllős | Women's giant slalom | 1:06.73 | 35 | 1:15.00 | 38 | 2:21.73 | 35 |
| Women's slalom | DNF | ||||||
Bobsleigh
Israel national bobsleigh team qualified one sled in the two-man and four-man competitions. Adam Edelman finished 33rd overall in the world ranking and was designated as the first eligible athlete for quota reallocation.[11] Israel received the quota following the reallocation of a spot that was declined by Great Britain.[12] Ward Fawarsy was designated as a reserve athlete for the team.
The Olympic Committee of Israel decided to disqualify the team from further participation in the competition after it had already competed in the first two runs. The decision was made after Uri Zisman admitted to the head of the delegation that he had signed a false medical affidavit. The affidavit was intended to enable a substitution between him and Ward Fawarsy. The Israeli committee has reported the matter to the International Olympic Committee and will conduct a thorough investigation after the Games.[13]
| Athlete | Event | Run 1 | Run 2 | Run 3 | Run 4 | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
| Adam Edelman Menachem Chen |
Two-man | 57.38 | 26 | 57.22 | 26 | 57.64 | 26 | Did not advance | 2:52.24 | 26 | |
| Adam Edelman Menachem Chen Uri Zisman Omer Katz |
Four-man | 55.53 | 25 | 55.63 | 24 | DNS | Did not advance | DNS | |||
Cross-country skiing
Following the completion of the 2025–26 FIS Cross-Country World Cup in the first World Cup period (28 November – 14 December 2025), Israel qualified one male athlete.[14][15]
| Athlete | Event | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Deficit | Rank | ||
| Attila Mihály Kertész | Men's 10 kilometre freestyle | 31:24.4 | +10:48.2 | 110 |
Figure skating
Mariia Seniuk secured one quota place for the Israeli delegation in the women's single event at the games after finish in the 16th place with 167.10 points at the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships in Boston, the United States.[16]
| Athlete | Event | SP/SD | FP/FD | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | Rank | Points | Rank | Points | Rank | ||
| Mariia Seniuk | Women's singles | 58.61 | 22 Q | 94.00 | 24 | 152.61 | 24 |
Skeleton
Israel qualified one sled in the men's competition based on the world ranking, with Jared Firestone finishing 36th overall.[17]
| Athlete | Event | Run 1 | Run 2 | Run 3 | Run 4 | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
| Jared Firestone | Men's | 58.15 | 23 | 57.74 | 22 | 57.83 | 24 | 57.63 | 23 | 3:51:35 | 22 |
See also
References
- ^ "Milano Cortina 2026 Opening Ceremony: All Flagbearers, all nations - complete list". Olympics.com. International Olympic Committee. 6 February 2026. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ^ Roche, Calum (6 February 2026). "2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony: order and flag bearers by country". Diario AS. Madrid, Spain. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ^ "ברני סולוש, גולש הסקי האלפיני האולימפי, נבחר לשאת את דגל ישראל בטקס הסיום של משחקי החורף מילאנו קורטינה 2026" [Barnabás Szőllős, Olympic alpine skier, selected to carry the Israeli flag at the closing ceremony of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Games]. Olympic Committee of Israel (in Hebrew). 21 February 2026. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
- ^ "Milano Cortina 2026 Closing Ceremony: full list of flagbearers for every nation". Olympics.com. International Olympic Committee. 22 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ^ Moore, Casey L.; Bowers, Rachel G (22 February 2026). "Olympics closing ceremony highlights: Milano Cortina Games wrap up in style". USA Today. New York City, New York, USA. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ^ "Milan rally calls for Israel ban from Winter Olympics over Gaza". The New Arab. 2026. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
- ^ "Calls grow to ban Israel from Olympics over Gaza war". The Independent. 2026. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
- ^ "IOC says Israel–Gaza war not comparable to Russia ban". The Independent. 2026. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
- ^ "Swiss commentator criticized over remarks about Israeli Olympian". Associated Press. 2026. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
- ^ "Alpine Skiing quotas list for Olympic Winter Games 2026". International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). Retrieved 28 December 2025.
- ^ "Olymic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 Quota Allocation Men´s Bobsleigh Combined" (PDF). International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation. 19 January 2026. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ "Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina – Men´s Bobsleigh Quota Allocation" (PDF). International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation. 22 January 2026. p. 2. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ Koren, Yotam (22 February 2026). "נבחרת המזחלות סולקה מהאולימפיאדה לאחר שאחד מחבריה שיקר בתצהיר רפואי" [The bobsligh team was expelled from the Olympics after one of its members lied in a medical affidavit]. Haaretz (in Hebrew). Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ^ "Cross-Country quotas list for Olympic Winter Games 2026". International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). Retrieved 28 December 2025.
- ^ Massot, Arthur (15 December 2025). "Lebanon, Colombia or Thailand: these small nations have secured their place at the 2026 Olympic Games". www.nordicmag.info. Nordic Mag. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
- ^ Jae-youl Kim; Colin Smith (4 April 2025). "Communication No. 2696 - ENTRIES/PARTICIPATION 2026 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES (OWG) SINGLE & PAIR SKATING AND ICE DANCE" (pdf). International Skating Union. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
- ^ "Olymic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 Quota Allocation Men´s Skeleton" (PDF). International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation. 19 January 2026. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
