Israel’s country image in the 2016 Olympic Games

The purpose of this study was to analyze how Israel’s country image was projected through the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. With the first author being an accredited journalist, data were collected during the preparations of the Israeli delegation in Israel and during the 3 weeks of competitions in Brazil. We analyzed mixed-zones interviews, press conferences, and public speeches of eight key stakeholders with potential to influence Israel’s country image in the Olympic Games. We identified two main themes regarding Israel’s country image: (a) national identity and (b) sports and international politics. The findings make contributions on sports and country image research, on sports nation branding, and public diplomacy, as well as sports and national identity in Israel.