Israel's Olympic Committee has made what seems to be a decision based on poor judgement and with the wrong goals in mind. Not everything comes down to collars and cents, or shekels and agurot.

Israel's Olympic Committee decided to replace the Israeli flag as sole representation beside the Israeli athlete's with a mascot in addition to the flag. The mascot might be a revered image and icon in Israel, especially among the youth, but on the world stage this whole thing looks childish. The mascot selected to be representing Israel at the London Olympics is the Bamba Baby. The Bamba Baby has been slightly redesigned for this purpose, but it's the Bamba Baby nonetheless.

The Olympic Committee receives public funding, along with sponsorships, but is not a government body - it is representative of the international Olympic Committee. The government, specifically the Ministry of Sport and Culture, is not connected with this decision and has no say in the matter. The people on the committee have defended their decision to accept the sponsorship from Osem with the Bamba Baby mascot saying that sports and sponsorships are regular and common and there is nothing wrong or unusual with it.

Some of the criticism includes the fact that Osem, the sponsor, has been the target of many protests recently regarding social justice. Osem is one of the companies that have been found to be milking the Israeli public like a cow with ridiculously high prices for it's products. This criticism is alongside the concern that this image is inappropriate and not honorable enough on the world stage.

The amount for the sponsorship has not been officially disclosed at this point, though unofficially the number mentioned has been that Osem is paying a paltry 150,000 NIS for the honor of having its image as the mascot. One would think that such a major sponsorship should cost far more. To me it looks like Osem got an amazing deal, assuming that number is correct, considering the exposure they will get from it.

I personally find it to be distasteful.


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