The games must go on? The influence of terror attacks on hosting sporting events in Israel

The terrorist campaign against Israel, euphemized as the 'al-Aqsa intifada', affected Israeli society in terms of perceptions of personal security, economic and political stability and aspects such as tourism and culture. The Israeli sporting scene was affected as well. From 2001 to 2004, international sports organizations adopted policies in stark contrast to one another. While some banned certain sports events from taking place in Israel, others obliged athletes to come to Israel and fined them for refusing to do so. A comparison of how these organizations chose to act in similar cases around the world reveals a striking inconsistency. An examination of the events and information provided in personal interviews indicates that sports associations fail to define terrorism and the conditions under which competitions should be banned.