In a tense standoff, Lebanese athletes refused to share a bus with Israeli athletes before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.

Before the games began, the Israeli team tried to board a bus to the opening ceremonies, when the Lebanese delegation tried to physically block them, according to The Times of Israel.

A sailing trainer for the Israeli team, Uda Gal, wrote on a Facebook post that he "kept on insisting that we board the bus and said that if the Lebanese did not want to board as well they are welcome to leave."



"The bus driver opened the door, but this time the head of the Lebanese delegation blocked the aisle and entrance. The organizers wanted to avoid an international and physical incident and sent us away to a different bus."

In a followup post, Gal condemned the incident as "shameful" and "sad" and hearkened back to the Munich Olympic Games where the members of the Israeli team were killed by terrorists.



"Only days before the opening ceremony was held, we participated in another ceremony, the memorial ceremony by the International Olympic Committee in memory of Munich Olympic athletes murdered by terrorists," Gal's post read.

"This shameful incident has only motivated us. The Olympic spirit is the most important thing and we're here to protect it and carry it with pride."

There has been no response from the Olympic Organizing Committee.

Israel has 47 athletes at the games, which began on Friday.