SAFA — Four Israeli athletes will not compete in the Europe Triathlon Cup in Derry, Northern Ireland, after the local organizing club strongly objected to their participation amid Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza.

North West Triathlon Club (NWTC), which is involved in hosting the event, said it became aware of the potential participation of the four Israeli athletes after their names appeared on a provisional entry list published on the World Triathlon website.

The club said it immediately made “strong representations” to Triathlon Ireland and Europe Triathlon, making clear that it could not support their participation under the circumstances.

NWTC stressed that its position was not directed at individuals on the basis of religion or ethnicity but concerned Israeli representation in international sport while Palestinians continue to suffer.

The club said it opposed attempts to present “normality on the international sporting stage while Palestinians continue to suffer.”

Triathlon Ireland later confirmed that the final start list for Saturday’s competition does not include any athletes representing Israel. It clarified that athlete selection and confirmation for Europe Triathlon Cup competitions are managed by Europe Triathlon under World Triathlon rules and that the local organizing committee has no role in selecting the international start list.

The development comes amid growing protests and campaigns across Europe calling on international sporting bodies to suspend Israel over its war on Gaza.

The controversy has also extended to football, with opposition mounting ahead of the Republic of Ireland’s upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Israel.

The teams are scheduled to meet on September 27 in Hungary, while the Republic of Ireland’s nominal home fixture against Israel on October 4 has been moved to Serbia and will be played behind closed doors amid operational, safety and security concerns.