Late Monday, the family of Shani Bakanov, the Israeli rhythmic gymnast competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics, reported receiving alarming threats on her life.
Her mother, Krystina, was stunned, asking, “How did they get our phone number?” The message they received ominously warned, “You are not invited to the Olympic Games unless you are prepared to deal with something that is 10 times worse than September 1972,” referring to the Munich Olympics massacre where 11 Israeli athletes were killed by Palestinian terrorists. It further stated, “pay attention to your surroundings, in airports, hotels and on the streets that belong to no one. Nothing will save you.”
Despite the threats, Roy Shvetz, head of the Haifa Maccabi Sports Association, affirmed his trust in Israel's security forces, saying, “We can’t let such messages scare us.” Bakanov’s sister, Lolita, shared with Ynet, “More families received the same message. We passed it on to the relevant authorities. At first, it was very stressful and frightening because we planned to travel to Paris. It is very sad to know that rather than concentrating on sports, this happens. But we will not miss the chance to be there and encourage the team after the girls worked so hard to get where they are.”
Israel’s rhythmic gymnastics team, which won gold at the 2023 World Championship and silver the previous year, is one of the country’s most successful.