Israeli teen stripped of IOI gold after unfurling national flag in Uzbekistan

A 12th-grade computer-science prodigy from Rehovot, Yotam Budnik, earned a gold medal at the 2026 International Olympiad in Informatics held in Uzbekistan, only to have his name removed from the official standings after he raised an Israeli flag on the podium. Competition officials cited restrictions that prevent Israeli contestants from competing under their national flag and demanded the return of his medal, which Budnik refused to hand over.

The sanction stands in stark contrast to his earlier gold-medal win at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Shanghai, where he also displayed the flag without facing similar consequences. Budnik's official score placed him 23rd among 666 competitors, earning 33 of 42 points. He has denounced the flag rule as a political intrusion, while organizers in Uzbekistan have not provided a detailed explanation of the specific rule violated. OutKick sought clarification from the IOI but received no immediate response.