The Israel Swimming Association has written a letter in protest of the allocation of quota spots for the upcoming women’s 10-kilometer marathon event at the Paris Olympics.
Following the completion of the 10k event at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha, World Aquatics confirmed the Olympic quota spots for each National Olympic Committee (NOC). The top 13 finishers not already qualified for Paris earned quota spots for their countries, though those slots do not necessarily have to go to those swimmers as the respective NOCs can allocate these as they choose.
An additional quota was given to France as the host country, as well one to each continent that is to be used on an NOC that does not already have a spot.
Israel’s top finisher in the 10k this year was Eva Fabian, who took 32nd with a time of 2:02:19.80. Her finish put her well outside the top-13, however, Israel is arguing that her performance should have been enough for a quota based on where the other spots landed.
Israel Swimming presents two different routes that they see as ways to unlock their spot, with the first being that France’s additional host country spot was allocated incorrectly. France had two swimmers finish in the top-13, meaning they did not need the additional allocation. Instead, World Aquatics reallocated this to Brazil, as Viviane Jungblut was the next highest finisher in 14th.
Israel Swimming finds this to be inconsistent with the qualification procedures, which calls for the unused host country spot to go to the next highest NOC not already qualified, not the next best individual athlete. Following this rule, Great Britain should have received the extra spot with their highest finisher being Leah Crisp in 17th.
Great Britain has already been granted the continental quota spot for Europe, but if they were to take the additional host country spot instead, the Europe quota would go to Israel.
The letter takes it one step further, asserting that even if Brazil were to take the host country quota, Israel should have a spot based on the fact that Oceania will not use its additional continental quota (there are no competing athletes outside of Australia). As with their first argument, Israel Swimming points out that the procedure calls for the forfeited spot to go to the next highest NOC that isn’t qualified, not the individual athlete. In this case it would be Great Britain again, which would open the European continental spot for Israel.
Israel’s argument is dependent on the allocation of unused spots (host country or Oceania continental) being assigned before the European continental quota. It then comes down to whether the reallocations are determined based on the next fastest individual versus the next highest available NOC.
The letter closes with a request for a revised NOC quota list, or failing that, an additional spot to open up for Israel to bring the field of athletes to 23.
World Aquatics has not responded to a request for comment.
Israel is protected by US influence. They can do whatever they want and the worst that will happen is a sternly worded letter.
What. They want a trophy for 32nd? Sorry. Go away.
I don’t see how they would win
For their first argument: The procedure explicitly state that if the host country has already obtained its quota from Fukuoka or Doha, then there will be an additional spot going to the next highest placed athlete’s NOC “- If the host country has already obtained its quota from point 1 or 2 above, then the next highest placed athletes from the World Aquatics World Championships Doha 2024 will obtain a quota place for their NOC.”
The process that Israel is referring to regarding reallocation of the host spot is not referring to if the host country has already qualified through regular means, it’s for if the host country needs to use a… Read more »
Israel protest too much
Wah wah
Why is Israel considered to be a part of Europe? Not asking this question to accuse, I am just confused as their neighboring countries are certainly not allowed to compete in European contexts.
Israel was originally part of the Asian Games Federation, and participated in the Asian Games. But when Olympic Council of Asia was established in its place in the early 1980s it was expelled for political reasons. It joined European Olympic Committees instead in 1994, and for sports related matters, it competes as European.
What Arthur said. It was voted out of the AFC (soccer) 17-13 in the 70s, Kuwait initiated the motion.
Europe was probably the only place that ever made sense for them to be in the long-run. The constant hand-wringing over certain Asian nations refusing to compete against Israel would have overshadowed every event.