Dr. Haim Hagay
Lecturer at The Department of Communication Studies, Kinneret Academic College. His research interests include: the intersection of sports media and nationalism, sports media and gender, sports Journalism and Media Production studies.
Email: haimhagay@mx.kinneret.ac.il
Twitter: @haimhagay
Dr. Alina Bernstein
Senior lecturer at the School of Media Studies of the College of Management Academic Studies (COMAS) and the Steve Tisch School of Film and Television, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
email: alinabernstein@gmail.com
Nationalistic discourse has long been central to media narratives around global sporting events. Traditional media play a key role in constructing and reinforcing national identities, often framing these events as contests of national pride beyond mere athletic competition. Research shows that such narratives shape viewers’ perceptions with heavy consumers exhibiting heightened nationalism and patriotism.
However, with the rise of social media, the dynamics of sports discourse have evolved, adding new dimensions to how narratives are constructed. Unlike the controlled and unified messages of traditional media, social platforms like Twitter (X) have become spaces where polarization and fragmentation thrive. This shift profoundly impacts how sporting media events are discussed in the public sphere.
This preliminary analysis explores how sports discourse on Twitter during the 2024 Olympics reflects deep divisions within Israeli society. Unlike the unified nationalistic narrative in traditional media, Twitter reveals a fragmented and polarized conversation. This discourse, including both patriotic expressions and critiques of national celebration, highlights the societal fragmentation characteristic of contemporary social media.
Patriotic tweets take various forms. Some directly celebrate sporting success as a national achievement: “Thank you for this medal. Am Yisrael Chai!!!” Others express Schadenfreude when athletes perceived as enemies fail: “Karma? The anti-Israel judoka from Tajikistan who refused to shake hands with Shmailov… won’t be fit for the repechage. Delightful.” Additionally, there are tweets reinforcing the particularistic national narrative that the “whole world is against us”: “Peter and Oren break down together after the nightmare caused by antisemitic judges.” Some tweets also melodramatically link sporting success to the ongoing war in Gaza: “An Olympic medalist with a freshly bereaved father. How sad. How joyous.”
Alongside the patriotic tweets, there are also tweets opposing the national celebration, especially during times of war: “I can’t understand how the Olympic broadcasts and the Israeli delegation continue as usual… Who cares about Primo right now… 12 children were murdered yesterday.”
However, a significant portion of the tweets we sampled seriously addresses various political, gender and religious rifts that are tearing Israeli society apart.
The political divide is the most prominent rift in the Olympic discourse, encompassing both criticism of the government and opposition. When Prime Minister Netanyahu tweeted, “You fought like lions and brought great honor to all of us,” numerous responses were critical, such as, “Israel is emerging as a judo powerhouse. It’s time to adopt another Japanese custom and encourage failed leaders to commit harakiri.” Coalition ministers also face criticism: “If the State of Israel were made up of successful, accomplished Inbars, and not of pathetic, spineless Ben-Gvirs, we would be in a much better situation.”
Amidst the opposition voices, there are also tweets expressing support for the government and its leader. Some tweets praise the Prime Minister: “… It’s all thanks to you… Bibi brought us two medals in Rio, four in Tokyo, and six in Paris.” Others target left-wing voters, with comments such as, “Maybe you should learn something, leftists. During Lapid’s days, we didn’t even get a single medal.” Left-wing politicians who congratulate medal winners also face backlash. For instance, when Lapid tweeted, “Such Israeli pride. Much light in the darkness,” responses included, “They brought light into the darkness that you spread… Scum.”
Even the President, usually above political disputes, faces criticism. After he suggested that athletes imagine hostages watching them, he received tweets like, “There’s a medal! How great for the hostages now in Bougie’s mind.”
The IDF, one of Israel’s most revered institutions, is also a subject of the discourse. On one side, right-wing tweets criticize figures like the Chief of Staff: “It’s time to get rid of Herzi and bring in someone as aggressive as Raz Hershko.” On the other, anti-militaristic tweets state, “We’re not a sports nation, more of a military nation.”
Gender struggles are also evident in the sports discourse on Twitter. On one side, there are feminist tweets highlighting the unequal coverage in traditional media: “Equal coverage only comes when a woman wins a medal.” On the other side, anti-feminist tweets mock the feminist discourse: “I’m just waiting for a tweet from the feminist feed comparing Kantor’s silver medal coverage to Raubeni’s gold medal, and it’s a perfect day.”
We also see tweets related to the religious divide from opponents of religious coercion: “Turns out Jews who compete on Shabbat get divine assistance”; Tweets against right-wing media channels: “On 7/10 they didn’t broadcast. But now that there’s a medal that can be attributed to Bibi, why not?”; Against civil protest organizations: “Brothers in Arms: We brought Israel its sixth medal”; Against the military prosecution: “Why are they interviewing Sagi Muki now!… Let the prosecutor take her hands off our fighters,” and in favor of the prosecution: “Two medals in one day. Thanks, Gali.”
In summary, the sports discourse surrounding the Olympic Games, once perceived as a unifying media event that reduced conflicts and strengthened national pride, has shifted on social media. Even during medal victories, the polarized discourse on Twitter reflects the deep rifts dividing Israeli society. Rather than uniting, athletes often become symbols that deepen these divides, raising the question of whether we can still consider these moments as media events in an era where social networks drive polarization.
