Jordan has refused to play Israel at the Under-19 Basketball World Cup, handing the Israeli team a 20-0 technical victory after weeks of speculation over a possible boycott.
The two sides were due to face each other on Sunday evening at the Cooly Arena in Lausanne, Switzerland, in their second group-stage match of the tournament. But just hours before tip-off, Jordan officially informed organisers it would not take part in the fixture.
The decision follows intense lobbying by pro-Palestinian activists in Jordan, who had urged the team to withdraw rather than appear to “normalise” ties with the Jewish state amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
The boycott means Israel now holds two wins from two in its first-ever appearance at the U-19 World Cup, having beaten host nation Switzerland 102–77 the previous night. Jordan, by contrast, lost its opener to the Dominican Republic.
Israel Basketball Association chairman Amos Frishman said he regretted Jordan’s refusal to compete. “I had hoped the Jordanians would still come to play to show everyone that things can be different, especially in these times,” he said. “Sport should serve as a bridge between nations and cultures – not a political battleground.”
The Gaza conflict, which began when Hamas terrorists stormed southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing 1,200 people and abducting 251 others, has sparked repeated anti-Israel protests in Jordan and across the Arab world. Many have called on Arab athletes and officials to boycott Israel at international events.
Ahead of the Lausanne tournament, reports in Jordan suggested government officials were facing growing pressure to avoid the match, though no public statement was issued until the day of the forfeit.
Despite the withdrawal, FIBA has allowed Jordan to remain in the competition, saying it wanted to avoid disrupting the tournament’s structure.
The Israeli squad – led by 18-year-old Omer Mayer, who is set to join Purdue University in the US – has impressed so far, despite limited preparation due to regional tensions. In their opening match against Switzerland, play was briefly interrupted when a pro-Palestinian protester ran onto the court waving a flag.
The Lausanne contest is the latest in a string of high-profile incidents involving boycotts or protests against Israeli athletes. In April, the Swiss under-23 fencing team turned their backs during the playing of “Hatikvah” after losing to Israel at the European Championships in Tallinn. Last summer, football’s global governing body FIFA postponed a decision on whether to suspend Israel, allowing it to compete at the Paris Olympics.
Israel are expected to progress to the next round of the U-19 tournament if they win or maintain a strong point difference in their next match. Jordan’s future in the competition remains unclear.
