An image shared on Facebook purports to show swimmers on Israel’s Olympic Team recently spelling out the message, “Bring Them Home Now!” in reference to individuals who remain hostages amid Israel’s current war with Hamas.

Verdict: False

The image is not recent and was shared by photographer Adam Spiegel on his verified Instagram account in November 2023.

Fact Check:

Israel said it killed a top Hezbollah commander via a July 30 strike in Beirut, according to The Associated Press. Israel carried out the strike in retaliation against a recent rocket attack that killed 12 people in the Golan Heights, the outlet reported.

The Facebook image, which has received over 500 likes as of writing, purports to show swimmers on Israel’s Olympic Team recently spelling out the message, “Bring Them Home Now!” in reference to individuals who remain hostages amid Israel’s current war with Hamas.

The claim is false. Check Your Fact performed a reverse image search, which generated another iteration of the claim on X, the social media platform previously called Twitter. The post credited Spiegel as the photographer who captured the image. A keyword search for “Adam Spiegel” then led us to Spiegel’s verified Instagram account, where he shared the image of the swimmers spelling out the pro-Israel message in November 2023.

“Home, now!” Spiegel captioned the photo. Spiegel’s account features other pro-Israel photographs, including one of a group of swimmers forming the Star of David in a pool.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Adam Spiegel (@im.adamico)

Likewise, Check Your Fact did not find the image referenced in any recent credible news reports about the 2024 Paris Olympics or Israel. In fact, the opposite is true. On July 30, Reuters reported the image predated the 2024 Paris Olympics. According to the outlet, Spiegel indicated that not all of the swimmers in the photo are Olympians and that the photo was taken on November 17, 2023, at the Wingate Institute in Netanya, Israel.

“The photo was taken for the purpose of increasing vigilance and public attention for the return of the abductees who were kidnapped from Israel on October 7, 2023,” Spiegel explained, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Were China’s Uniforms For The Olympics Inspired By Palestine?)

Furthermore, the Olympic Charter prohibits athletes from making political statements at “any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”

Check Your Fact has also contacted Spiegel for comment.