Israel’s country image in the 2016 Olympic Games

Sport-tech diplomacy: exploring the intersections between the sport-tech ecosystem, innovation, and diplomacy in Israel

“…The international market is extremely receptive to Israeli sports technologies, with global corporations partnering with and even acquiring Israeli sport-tech companies, and sports organizations from almost every major sports league use Israeli sports technologies. These collaborations are not met with international protests, like other sports initiatives face (Dart 2016;Dubinsky and Dzikus 2018;Ber et al 2017). The sports-tech ecosystem grew from unique challenges Israeli society face, trying to offer solutions to global needs.…”

“…International politics often overshadowed Israel’s participation in international sports, including boycotts, exclusions, demands from exclusions, demonstrations, hiding Israeli symbols, cancelled and postponed events, hosting outside of the country, and even a deadly terror attack during the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany (Dubinsky and Dzikus 2018 ; Galily 2007 ; Ber et al 2017 ). According to Dart ( 2016 ), Israel is trying to associate itself with Western Europe though sports, rather than with its Middle-Eastern neighbours.…”

“…According to Dart ( 2016 ), Israel is trying to associate itself with Western Europe though sports, rather than with its Middle-Eastern neighbours. As a result of the manifestation of the Israeli–Arab dispute through sports, Israel is losing ample branding opportunities due to the ongoing Israeli–Arab dispute (Dubinsky and Dzikus 2018 ). When discussing the intersection of sports, diversity and innovation, perhaps the best example is the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation founded by Shimon Peres, the late Prime Minister and President of Israel and a Nobel Peace Prize Awardee (Peres Center for Peace & Innovation 2020 ).…”

“…Some countries have been using sports to try and improve the country’s image through nation branding and public diplomacy (Anholt 2010 ; Murray 2018 ). Although sports and physical activities are rooted in Israel’s history and in the image change of Jewish people and Zionism (Harif 2011 ; Kaufman and Galily 2009 ), the Israeli–Arab dispute often manifested through hosting and participating in local and international competitions, limiting some branding opportunities (Dart 2016 ; Dubinsky and Dzikus 2018 ).…”

The Olympic Games, nation branding, and public diplomacy in a post-pandemic world: Reflections on Tokyo 2020 and beyond

“…The political manifestations and boycotts in the twenty-first century have been more subtle or even silent compared to the mass boycotts of the 1976, 1980 and 1984 Olympic Games (Dubinsky, 2019a ). Yet, there are still political manifestations in the Olympic Games, such as athletes from certain Arab and Muslim countries forced by their governments to withdraw from competing against Israelis under the guise of an injury (Dubinsky & Dzikus, 2019 ). Before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the Iranian Judo Federation was suspended for continuing with such policies (Palmer, 2021 ).…”