WARSAW

Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday rejected claims by Israel’s embassy that young Israeli athletes were targeted in an anti-Semitic attack during a judo tournament in the southern city of Bielsko-Biala.

The controversy erupted after the Israeli Embassy issued a statement accusing Polish participants and spectators of “verbal and physical attacks” against children and teenagers representing Israel, warning there was “no place for violence or anti-Semitic insults.”

The embassy called on Warsaw to investigate and “bring the perpetrators to justice,” suggesting the safety of Israeli athletes competing in Poland was at risk.

Within hours, tournament officials released video footage and their own account of events, which appeared to challenge the embassy’s claims.

Tomasz Chmielniak, one of the organizers, said the only physical force recorded was “against a referee,” allegedly by a member of the Israeli delegation.

“The young Israeli players were certainly not attacked,” Chmielniak told broadcaster TVN24.

According to organizers, the incident stemmed from disagreements over calls made during a fight, with tensions spilling over as adults rather than children confronted match officials.

The organizers subsequently removed one Israeli team from the tournament, citing safety concerns and a breach of sporting regulations.

Two days later, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs echoed the tournament’s version, reading from an official statement provided by the Polish Judo Association.

Ministry spokesperson Maciej Weiwo said that “other foreign teams, including other teams from Israel,” competed throughout the event without incident and that both matches and medal ceremonies proceeded in what he described as “a peaceful sporting atmosphere.”