An Israeli high school computer science prodigy was erased from the official leaderboard at an international competition in Uzbekistan after displaying an Israeli flag on the victory podium.
Yotam Budnik, a 12th-grade student from Rehovot, won a gold medal at the 2026 International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) before being disqualified for displaying the Israeli flag.
Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that Budnik displayed the flag amid restrictions on Israeli students representing their country at the competition.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Sherry Colvin of Arlington, Va., holds an Israeli flag while praying and dancing before a Philos Project October 7 memorial rally at the Washington Monument on Oct. 7, 2024, in Washington, D.C. The rally is one of many events around the world marking the one-year anniversary of Hamas' attacks and raids that killed more than 1,200 Israelis and led to the ongoing war in Gaza and conflict across the region. (Getty Images)
Budnik brought an Israeli flag with him and unveiled it after taking the stage, according to reports of the incident. The display defied restrictions preventing Israeli participants from competing under their national flag.
Following the display, Budnik's official recognition was revoked and organizers sought the return of his physical gold medal, according to reports.
An Israel flag flies during the March for Israel on the National Mall November 14, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Budnik reportedly refused to return it.
The disqualification stands in stark contrast to Budnik's experience just weeks earlier at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Shanghai, China, where he won gold while representing Israel.
Budnik also openly displayed the Israeli flag following his victory in Shanghai without facing a similar sanction.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE
Israeli flag fluttering over Jerusalem, Israel (i-Stock)
The disparate treatment meant that an expression of Israeli national identity that carried no apparent consequence in Shanghai was followed weeks later in Uzbekistan by Budnik's disqualification and removal from the official standings.
Official IMO results show Budnik finished 23rd among 666 competitors from 117 countries, earning a gold medal with 33 out of a possible 42 points.
The result marked Budnik's second consecutive gold at the prestigious mathematics competition after he also won gold in 2025. He earned bronze in 2024.
Budnik later criticized the restrictions as political and maintained that the disqualification did not diminish his achievement.
While organizers in Uzbekistan could erase Budnik's name from the leaderboard, they reportedly could not reclaim the gold medal.
Budnik refused to give it back.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
OutKick reached out to the International Olympiad in Informatics for clarification on what rule Budnik was found to have violated and the basis for his disqualification, but did not receive an immediate response.
Send us your thoughts: [email protected] / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
Alejandro Avila is a longtime writer at OutKick, living in Southern California.
