The situation allegedly occurred on Friday evening as the Israeli Olympic delegation tried to board a bus heading to the Maracana Stadium. According to an Israeli sailor, Udi Gal, the team had been surprised to find Lebanese delegates inside the bus they were planning to board.
Given the thorny history of military confrontations between the two states, team Lebanon reportedly slammed the bus door right in front of team Israel’s noses, refusing to share a ride with its Mediterranean neighbor.
Updated: Lebanese Olympics team stops Israelis from boarding shared bus.https://t.co/ltCM65OWuo pic.twitter.com/aLBgixwlWJ
— Ynetnews (@ynetnews) August 6, 2016
“The 2016 Olympics – a disgrace!!” Gal said on a Facebook post. “Once the members of the Lebanese delegation realized they were [sharing the bus] with the Israeli delegation, they asked the driver to close the door, with their delegation leader heading [the effort].”
“We insisted that we get on the intended bus, and if the Lebanese don’t want [to ride with us], they are welcome to get off,”Gal added. “The organizers tried to prevent an international incident and sent us aside to a special [vehicle].”
https://twitter.com/WaladShami/status/761998715540340738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The Lebanese version of the incident presented by the head of the delegation says that each delegation was arranged a separate bus, with over 250 buses dedicated to transporting the teams from the Olympic village to the opening ceremony.
“After we boarded Bus 22, which was dedicated to the Lebanese delegation, I was surprised by the Israeli delegation’s approaching and wanting to get on the bus with us,” Salim al-Haj Nakoula told An-Nahar newspaper. “I asked the driver to shut the door, but the guide who was there with the Israeli delegation prevented him from doing so.”