Rio 2016: Lebanese Olympic team accused of racism over Israeli bus incident A heated spat broke out between the Israeli and Lebanese Olympic teams over travel to the opening ceremony of the Games in Rio […]

A heated spat broke out between the Israeli and Lebanese Olympic teams over travel to the opening ceremony of the Games in Rio de Janeiro on Friday night with allegations of racism and aggressive behaviour.

Lebanese team members blocked their Israeli counterparts from boarding a bus to travel together to the Maracana Stadium, according to accounts from both sides.

Lebanon’s team were reportedly sat on the bus and waiting to depart when the Israeli team tried to join them.

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Lebanon’s chef de mission (or head of the delegation) Salim al-Haj Nakoula allegedly told Lebanese media the Israeli team were “looking for trouble” and had their own bus to travel to the stadium.

He demanded the door to the bus was closed, but the Israelis insisted on boarding.

Olympic organizers told the Israeli team to share the bus with the Lebanese and alternative transport was only arranged following the altercation, head of the Israeli delegation Gili Lusting told the Associated Press in a statement.

The two teams ultimately traveled to the opening ceremony in separate buses.

The Israeli team has accused Lebanese competitors of going against the spirit of the games.

A member of Israel’s Olympic sailing team Udi Gal said on Facebook the decision to travel separately was ultimately taken to avoid an “international and physical incident.”

He added: “How could they let this happen on the eve of the Olympic Games? Isn’t this the opposite of what the Olympics represents?”

‘Racism’

Israel’s sport and culture minister Miri Regev accused the Lebanese team of racism in comments to an Israeli radio station.

“It is antisemitism pure and simple, and the worst kind of racism,” she reportedly told Israel Radio. She has called upon the International Olympic Committee to condemn the incident.

Officially at war

Israel and Lebanon have no diplomatic relations and are officially at war.

Ten years ago Israeli forces were engaged in a war with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militias that lasted just one month but claimed the lives of an estimated 1200 Lebanese, including hundreds of civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers.