Israeli roundnet team flag at Chicago

The National Jewish Advocacy Center said on Thursday that it had secured the right for Israel’s national roundnet team to compete under its own flag at a 2026 world championship event in Chicago. The group said it intervened with organizers before the tournament and obtained approval for the Israeli team’s flag recognition, according to an announcement posted on its website. NJAC’s statement framed the decision as a response to a participation issue involving the Israeli team. The organization did not publish the organizers’ full written approval in the post that announced the outcome. ### What exactly did NJAC say it accomplished? NJAC said on May 21 that it “secured” the right of the Israeli national roundnet team to compete under its own flag at the 2026 World Championships in Chicago, Illinois. The organization said it acted ahead of the competition and that event organizers approved the arrangement, according to the NJAC post. (njaclaw.org) The NJAC announcement identified the affected delegation as the Israeli National Roundnet Team. The post said the intervention concerned recognition of Israel’s own flag rather than neutral participation or a mixed designation, though the statement available online did not include a broader event policy covering other countries or delegations. (njaclaw.org) ### What is roundnet, and who runs its international competition? The International Roundnet Federation describes itself as the body that promotes international competition, shared rules and standards for the sport. Its website says the federation’s mission is to build infrastructure for international play and stage world championship events. USA Roundnet, the U.S. governing body, says national-team selection in 2026 is tied directly to world championship participation. (njaclaw.org) In a December notice, USA Roundnet said athletes seeking to represent the United States had to attend a May 2-3 selection camp in Atlanta for eligibility to play at the 2026 World Championship. ### Is Chicago actually hosting the 2026 world championship? (roundnetfederation.org) The International Roundnet Federation’s current website says the 2026 World Championship will be held in Paris, France, from September 2 to September 6 at Parc du Tremblay. That creates a discrepancy with NJAC’s announcement, which referred to a 2026 World Championships event in Chicago. USA Roundnet materials also refer to a 2026 World Championship taking place later this year but do not identify Chicago as the host city in the pages reviewed. (usaroundnet.org) The available U.S. federation pages focus on team selection, domestic tour events and national competition scheduling. ### What can be said with confidence about the flag issue? The clearest verified point is that NJAC publicly claimed credit for obtaining organizer approval for the Israeli team to appear under its own flag. (roundnetfederation.org) The organization’s post is the direct source for that claim, and no public statement from the event organizer was available in the material reviewed to independently restate the same decision in its own words. (usaroundnet.org) The second clear point is that international roundnet competition is active in 2026 and national bodies are already selecting teams under International Roundnet Federation rules. USA Roundnet said its camp would use the 2026 IRF rules and 2026 world championship equipment, underscoring that preparations for national-team participation are already underway. (njaclaw.org) ### What remains unresolved? The unresolved issue is the event reference itself. NJAC’s post tied the flag decision to “the 2026 World Championships in Chicago,” while the International Roundnet Federation now lists its 2026 World Championship in Paris on September 2-6. The next public checkpoint is likely to come from the International Roundnet Federation’s Worlds 2026 information page or from participating national governing bodies as rosters and event details are finalized. (usaroundnet.org) The federation’s site currently lists Paris, dates of September 2-6, and additional championship information under its Worlds 2026 section. (roundnetfederation.org) (njaclaw.org)