Durkan 'relieved' no Israeli athletes will compete in Derry European Triathlon
SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan has said he is relieved that no Israeli athletes will compete in the European Triathlon event in Derry on Saturday.
Mr Durkan said on social media: “Relieved that no Israeli athletes will compete in the European Triathlon event in Derry on Saturday.
“There has been understandable anger at the revelation that Israel would be competing, flying in the face of Council’s BDS policy and the vehement opposition of people here to genocide, the slaughter of tens of thousands of innocent Palestinian men, women and children, and its perpetrators.”
Mr Durkan added: “Since this information became public, I have reflected my own, the SDLP’s, and many outraged constituents’ views on the matter to representatives of NWTC and Triathlon Ireland.
“I understand that the organisers of the Derry event have been trying to address this issue since the competitor list, which is outside of their control, was produced, and will issue a statement shortly.”
The North West Triathlon Club confirmed no Israeli athletes will compete in this weekend’s highly-anticipated Europe Triathlon Cup - City of Derry event in the city.
The club said it became aware of a number of Israeli athletes on the Senior Elite Men’s provisional entry list when it was published on the World Triathlon website.
The local committee said that when it became aware of the situation it made strong representations to Triathlon Ireland and Europe Triathlon and ‘made clear in the strongest possible terms that it could not support their participation in the circumstances’.