As Israeli athletes quietly battle discrimination abroad, a Knesset gathering highlights how grassroots sports at home are helping families, soldiers, and divided communities rebuild after October 7
Hours before opening a parliamentary gathering honoring 38 social-sports organizations, Yesh Atid lawmaker Simon Davidson described an international arena in which Israeli athletes continue to confront discrimination and, at times, outright antisemitism. He said that Israel faced repeated attempts to exclude its competitors or erase their national identity in international sports settings.
“I’ve been dealing with this for more than a year,” Davidson told The Media Line. “We held several discussions, some of them classified. I secured money from the Ministry of Sports for international lawyers. We stopped many moves that would have prevented our athletes from competing as Israelis. Not everything can be published.”
We stopped many moves that would have prevented our athletes from competing as Israelis. Not everything can be published
He added that in several competitions, “they didn’t allow the Israeli flag, they didn’t play the anthem, and some teams, like the ice hockey team, were not allowed to participate.”
The most serious threat, he said, was the possibility that Israeli football [soccer] clubs would be barred from UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) and FIFA Fédération Internationale de Football Association) competitions. “There was a very real danger that our football clubs would be suspended,” he noted.
Preventing the looming suspensions required quiet coordination with sports federations. “We worked silently, with the heads of the football association and the Olympic committee, with professionals, and with the money I managed to secure. Most of it we succeeded in stopping,” he said.
For Davidson, the decision to allow European matches to return to Israeli stadiums represents more than a bureaucratic victory. “It’s a huge celebration for Israeli sports,” he said. “It shows how, in the end, we defeat the bad actors, we defeat antisemitism, and sports wins.”
It shows how, in the end, we defeat the bad actors, we defeat antisemitism, and sports wins
Turning his attention to local issues, Davidson presided over a Knesset session focused not on global politics but on domestic recovery. Representatives of community organizations described using sports to help families, children, soldiers, and vulnerable communities rebuild routine and resilience after the trauma of October 7. No one addressed antisemitism abroad; the room’s attention was fixed on the social fabric inside Israel.
Davidson opened by saying that after October 7, it became evident that sports are hugely important for national resilience. Many associations, he explained, mobilized before state systems could respond. “Many associations worked not with government money but with donations for displaced families everywhere,” he said. “All they asked from me was more sports, more sports. And that’s what we did.”
A key testimony was Or Reshit, representing Hoops for Peace, who described taking her women’s basketball team to the Arab city of Umm al-Fahm. “My players were afraid even to come into the city,” she said. “They were afraid of the entrance, afraid of the interaction.” The atmosphere shifted once they entered the gym. “My heart expanded,” she said, explaining that the experience convinced her that “through sports you can reach places in society and create change.”
The Peres Center for Peace and Innovation presented a video showing its Football for Peace program. A coach in the video described bringing together children from different communities to play football and form shared experiences. Several participants said the games helped them see one another differently, and a staff member emphasized that the goal was to build “a bridge through sports.”
A representative of Matzmichim, a nonprofit working with Maccabi Haifa and the Ministry of Justice to reduce violence and racism in stadiums, told lawmakers that Maccabi Haifa “sees the highest importance in eradicating violence and racism in football stadiums,” and explained the educational work conducted with youth.
In a video accompanying her comments, staff members described workshops in which children were asked what racism is, what motivates it, and how to reshape norms. One participant said he hoped his generation would not experience racist incidents in stands or fields, “so they can simply enjoy the game.”
I never imagined I would play football again. Joining this team gave me back something I thought I had lost.
The most personal testimony of the day came from Liam Shpilman, an Israeli Defense Forces officer injured during combat in Gaza. Shpilman has been undergoing rehabilitation in a hospital, where sports-based therapy forms part of the recovery process. He spoke about the physical and emotional challenge of returning to daily functioning after severe injuries, and about discovering that structured training, adapted exercises, and team environments helped him regain a sense of control. His presence drew quiet attention across the room, serving as a reminder of the war’s human cost and the role of sports in long-term rehabilitation.
Stories of perseverance continued with the presentation of the national amputee football team, whose members were introduced via a video played during the session. Sharon Paz, the team’s coach, described how the players train with adapted techniques. Some athletes “play without a leg,” while the goalkeeper “plays without an arm.”
Zahi Jacoby, a member of the team who survived the October 7 attacks and lost his leg, said, “I never imagined I would play football again. Joining this team gave me back something I thought I had lost.” Azi, the team captain, was recognized for helping new players learn to move, balance, and compete despite complex injuries.
There was also representation from initiatives working with at-risk youth and mixed Jewish-Arab communities. Nitzan, the founder of SquashBond, spoke about using squash to foster cooperation and leadership among adolescents. Noam, representing Ziv Neurim, outlined efforts to support youth in coastal towns through maritime training. From the social-sports initiative Nika, Nimrod described educational programs built around physical activity. At the same time, Ayala and Sefi of Sports for Social Impact highlighted how organized sports provide a framework of stability for communities under long-term strain.
One speaker presented an accessible beach initiative in Herzliya, explaining how children with disabilities gained access to water activities that had previously been out of reach.
Davidson noted that such initiatives allow these children “to take part in activities like any other child,” and said expanding access is vital. He closed the meeting by saying that for these efforts to succeed, cooperation among ministries is essential. “Only through cooperation with the Ministry of Welfare, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Culture and Sports can these associations continue,” he said. He argued that the work has direct implications for social cohesion. “If we invest in sports,” he said, “we save millions.”
The contrast between Davidson’s two messages, one about external discrimination and the other about internal recovery, framed the dual challenge Israel faces. Abroad, he said, athletes must continue to push back against efforts to delegitimize them. At home, communities rely on the stabilizing power of sports to strengthen resilience after profound trauma.
“In the end,” Davidson said, “sports win.”