Tariq Abdul-Wahad, the first Frenchman in basketball history to play on American soil and a former player for the NBA's Sacramento Kings, questioned the consistency of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) global policies, according to a statement reported by Turkish media.

Former NBA player Tariq Abdul-Wahad has made headlines for his off-court attempts to block Israel's participation in the competition.

Drawing contrasts with the backlash against Russia in February 2022, Abdul-Wahad said: "If you want to take part in an international competition recognised by international organisations, you have to respect international law." He added: "Russia did not respect the law. Its athletes were banned. Let's not be hypocrites. Let's treat everyone equally," he said at the time.

Abdul-Wahad's statement sparked an avalanche of reactions on social media and various other forms of backlash against Israel's participation in the upcoming Paris Olympics. 

A trending hashtag, #celebrityblockout, emerged after the statement by the Maisons-Alfort, Val-de-Marne, France, native, who was born on 3 November 1974. This hashtag calls, among other things, for a boycott of Israeli participation in the Paris Games.

Some global sports organisations attempted to sanction Israel in the hope of preventing its participation, but the IOC stood firm in its decision to keep Israel at the Games.

Tensions escalated further when pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered near the Olympic headquarters in Paris, calling for Israel to be excluded from the competition.

Like Abdul-Wahad, these protesters referred to the exclusion of Russia and Belarus and expressed their anger that the same criteria were not applied. They accused the IOC of inconsistency in its decisions, depending on its affinity or otherwise with the country in question and its participation in the Olympic Games.

Part of the international community, mainly Arab or Muslim and Euro-pro-Palestinian, along with groups generally associated with the radical left, directly echo the concerns of Abdul-Wahad and the protesters about the consistency of ethical standards in global sport.

French President Emmanuel Macron has backed the IOC's stance on allowing Israel to participate and has warned athletes against intolerance. Agreeing that Israel was defending itself, Macron said the country was "the victim of a terrorist attack to which it is now responding in Gaza".

Despite the rise of hatred and backlash on the internet and especially on social media, where everything is amplified, the IOC has pledged to keep Israel in the Olympics. The committee's president, Thomas Bach, confirmed in a statement that "Israel faces no threat to its Olympic status" and that all Israelis will feel safe at the upcoming games.

Bach confirmed that security measures would be taken to protect Israelis during the Games.