Sports

Amid all the wars and politics, I have managed to cultivate myself a “mini-beat” as the Jerusalem bureau’s sports reporter. Here is a selection of some of the stories and features I have written about sports in Israel and while covering the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

August 07, 2020

Israeli team’s massacre overshadows sports at 1972 Olympics

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The 1972 Munich Olympics were marked by historic achievements and unprecedented controversy but will be forever defined by devastating catastrophe. In hosting the 1972 Munich Games, West Germany was eager to erase the stain of…

August 07, 2020

Israeli racewalker recalls surviving 1972 Munich massacre

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Just before heading to sleep on Sept. 4, 1972, Israeli Olympic racewalker Shaul Ladany lent his alarm clock to wrestling coach Moshe Weinberg, a fellow Israeli delegation member known by his nickname “Muni,” who had…

January 15, 2020

Israel’s unlikely Olympic baseball team dreams big for Japan

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — As a baseball-crazed kid growing up in Miami, Danny Valencia dreamed of playing in the Major Leagues. The thought of heading to the Olympics, for a foreign country no less, never crossed his mind. But…

November 17, 2019

Lionel Messi in Israel despite rockets and boycott threats

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Soccer superstar Lionel Messi finally arrived in sports-crazed Israel on Sunday, after a Palestinian protest campaign derailed his previous visit and the latest round of cross-border fighting in Gaza threatened to scare him off once…

June 20, 2019

Patriots owner pledges $20 million to fight anti-Semitism

JERUSALEM (AP) — The owner of the New England Patriots, Robert Kraft, accepted Israel’s prestigious Genesis Prize at a lavish ceremony on Thursday, where he pledged $20 million to establish a foundation dedicated to combating anti-Semitism and the Palestinian-led boycott…

January 09, 2019

Israel awards New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft the ‘Jewish Nobel’ prize

JERUSALEM (AP) — New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has been awarded Israel’s 2019 Genesis Prize in recognition of his philanthropy and commitment to combatting anti-Semitism, organizers of the prize announced on Wednesday. The $1 million award, widely known as…

June 06, 2018

Israel in uproar over Argentina pre-World Cup friendly snub

JERUSALEM (AP) — The sports-crazed nation of Israel was in uproar Wednesday over Argentina’s abrupt cancellation of a World Cup warmup match following pro-Palestinian protests, with some of the country’s leaders accusing Lionel Messi and his teammates of caving to…

May 06, 2018

Viviani wins 3rd stage as Giro bids farewell to Israel

EILAT, Israel (AP) — Elia Viviani won the third stage of the 101st Giro d’Italia on Sunday for his second bunch sprint finish victory in as many days as the Grand Tour race bid farewell to its historic start in…

May 05, 2018

Dennis nabs Giro pink jersey, Viviani takes 2nd stage

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A day after his opening stage lead slipped away to Giro d’Italia defending champion Tom Dumoulin — the last of the 175 riders in the individual time trial — Rohan Dennis got a measure of…

May 04, 2018

Dumoulin wins opening stage of Giro d’Italia, Froome – after crash – 21st

JERUSALEM (AP) — With Chris Froome likely feeling the ill effects of a training crash, defending champion Tom Dumoulin won the opening stage of the 101st Giro d’Italia on Friday. Froome, who bloodied his right knee and ripped his shorts…

May 02, 2018

Israel Cycling Academy hopes Giro launches sport in country

JERUSALEM (AP) — Of the 22 teams competing in this year’s Giro d’Italia, the Israel Cycling Academy squad has perhaps the most at stake. Israel’s first pro cycling team is the event’s undoubted underdog. And while team officials say they…

April 30, 2018

After political snag, Israel in gear to host Giro d’Italia

JERUSALEM (AP) — After resolving a brief crisis over the status of its proclaimed capital, Israel is ready to finally get things underway this week with its historic hosting of the Giro d’Italia cycling race. The world’s best riders will…

September 18, 2017

Giro d’Italia start in Israel to go from Jerusalem to Red Sea

JERUSALEM (AP) — Winding its way around the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, through modern Tel Aviv then the Negev desert down to the Red Sea, the start of next year’s Giro d’Italia will highlight Israel’s history, culture and varied…

June 20, 2017

Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis: NFL’s been cagey on concussions

JERUSALEM (AP) — Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis says the NFL has taken advantage of its players by not sharing with them all the information it had about the risk of concussions. After viewing an innovation expo in…

June 16, 2017

Montana, Brown and Staubach give Israeli football huge boost

RAMAT HASHARON, Israel (AP) — Some of the greatest NFL players of all time descended on a converted soccer field outside Tel Aviv to watch local youths scrimmage in a big boost for the burgeoning sport of American football in…

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