Over 3,500 athletes from 93 nations are competing at the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, but Palestine is again absent from the Games. The Palestinian National Olympic Committee, recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since 1993, has never sent athletes to a Winter Olympics, while Israel is fielding a delegation despite its ongoing military campaign in Gaza.
The IOC has confirmed that Israel will not face a ban similar to that imposed on Russia and Belarus over the war in Ukraine, stating that the situations are “not comparable”. An IOC spokesperson said the Palestinian and Israeli Olympic committees had not violated territorial integrity rules, adding: “It is beyond our remit to react to any conflict or war situation between countries.”
The Palestinian Olympic Committee has accused the IOC of “double standards”. More than 800 Palestinian athletes and officials have been killed since the war began in October 2023, according to the Palestinian Football Association, and much of the territory’s sporting infrastructure has been destroyed or rendered inaccessible.
Beyond the conflict, Palestine’s warm climate and lack of funding have historically prevented its athletes from breaking into winter sports, which have long been dominated by Nordic and other cold-climate nations. While the IOC has sought to expand the reach of the Winter Olympics, no Palestinian athlete has yet qualified for the Games.
Israel’s participation proceeds amid a fragile ceasefire that took effect in October 2024 but has not halted all hostilities. The IOC said it “deeply believes that differences between nations must be resolved through dialogue, not violence”, and expressed concern at the disruption of competitions due to political tensions.
