The Maccabiah games have been postponed due to the ongoing situation in Israel, with officials from the international Jewish sporting competition announcing the news on Monday morning.
In a statement issued today, Jonathan Prevezer, chairman of Maccabi GB, shared “the difficult news that Maccabi World Union, the organisers of the Maccabiah, have made the decision to postpone the Games until July 2026.
“While we believe this is the correct and necessary decision, it has not been an easy one. With just three weeks to go, and following ongoing security assessments, it has been deemed neither possible nor appropriate to continue with preparations at this time. The safety and security of all athletes, delegations, and supporters remains the top priority for everyone involved.”
The Jewish News understands that a meeting was held on this subject earlier today.
Held every four years in Israel, the Maccabiah, sometimes referred to as ‘the Jewish Olympics’ is an international sporting competition where teams of Jewish athletes from around the world represent their home countries. At least eight thousand athletes, plus coaches and support staff, were expected to attend.
This year’s competition was due to feature 45 different sports, including football, volleyball, swimming, rugby – and, for the first time, pickleball, a racket game created in America which has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years.
“We know how much hard work, energy and excitement has gone into reaching this point”, Mr Prevezer’s statement continued.
“Please know that Maccabi GB remains fully committed to our athletes and delegation, and we will continue working closely with the organisers to understand what this postponement means, particularly in relation to age categories for next summer.”
Maccabi GB also acknowledged the financial challenges in question, noting that “a significant portion of costs have already been committed to our trusted providers in Israel, reflecting the advanced stage of planning.
“However, we are actively exploring all available options to minimise any financial impact and recover as much as possible.”
This is not the first time in recent years that the Maccabiah has had to be postponed. The last cycle of the Games, planned for 2021, also had to be delayed for 12 months, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
