Olympics-Israel team marches to smattering of boos at Milan Games opening ceremony

By Karolos Grohmann

MILAN, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Israel's Olympic team walked into the stadium during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Friday to a smattering of boos at what had otherwise been an upbeat and festive celebration of the global winter sports extravaganza.

The four-person Israeli delegation, waving the country's flag and smiling, marched into the San Siro stadium during the parade of participating countries with the boos quickly drowned out by the loud soundtrack.

In Cortina d'Ampezzo, where a simultaneous parade was held for competitors located in the mountain cluster, Israel's athletes earned some cheers, while in Predazzo, site of the ski jumping venue, there were some boos heard.

Israeli athletes said prior to the opening ceremony they were prepared for a potentially hostile reception following the war in Gaza.

Since the October start of a truce, Israeli fire has killed nearly 560 people, most of them civilians, according to Gaza health officials. Palestinian militants have killed four Israeli soldiers in the same period, Israeli authorities say.

"I'm prepared, they can do whatever they want," Israeli skier Barnabas Szollos said ahead of the opening ceremony. "I just want to have a good race, fun race and do the best I can."

Israel has a troubled history at the Olympics with 11 of its athletes killed during an attack by Palestinian militants at the Olympic village during the 1972 Munich Summer Games.

The International Olympic Committee long refused to pay tribute to them at subsequent Games' opening ceremonies despite continued pressure from relatives and Israel.

They were finally remembered after 49 years, during the Tokyo Summer Olympics opening ceremony in 2021.