Swiss fencers apologize for turning backs on Israeli flag, anthem after loss

Switzerland’s youth fencing team apologized Monday, two days after sparking a diplomatic fracas by refusing to face the flag of the Israeli winners at the European championship in Estonia.

Following its defeat against Israel in the final of the under-23 championships in Tallinn on Saturday, the four-man Swiss team did not join the Israelis and the third-placed Italians in turning toward the flags during the playing of the winner’s national anthem.

The four teammates — Ian Hauri, Theo Brochard, Jonathan Fuhrimann and Sven Vineis — issued a joint apology on Instagram after drawing ire in Israel and Switzerland alike for politicizing the sporting event.

“We wish to explain our actions and express our regret,” they said in their message, stressing that they did not reflect “any contempt for Israel.”

Instead, they said they had merely wanted to express their “sadness and empathy for the great human suffering of the civilian population” on all sides, during the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas terror group in Gaza.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when over 5,000 Hamas-led terrorists invaded southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Twenty-four living hostages, and the bodies of 35 confirmed dead, are still held by terror groups in the enclave.

Swiss fencing team branded ‘disrespectful’ for refusing to turn during the Israeli National Anthem, after Israel took gold at the U23 European Championships. pic.twitter.com/1qPegM7ZAw

— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) April 27, 2025

The four young fencers said they recognized that their action “caused irritation, and that was a mistake.”

“We apologize to all those we offended, especially to our opponents in the final on the Israeli team and to the (fencing) federation,” they added, vowing to “learn from this situation and show better judgement” in the future.

Their apology came after Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar expressed outrage about the incident on X, posting a picture of the Swiss team members facing away from the two other teams on the medals podium.

“Shame on the Swiss team for their disrespectful behaviour,” he wrote Saturday evening, adding: “You don’t know how to lose and behaved in a manner which is an embarrassment to you and the country you’re supposed to represent.”

It remains unclear what consequences the Swiss team might face.

The European federation has reportedly issued them a warning, and the Swiss Fencing Association said Sunday it was still evaluating whether measures should be taken.