Israeli athletes received unprecedented support in the build-up to Beijing thanks to a grant of $12 million (£8.1 million) from the Sidney Frank Foundation, set-up in the name of a late Jewish American businessman who became a billionarie through his promotion of Grey Goose vodka and Jagermeister.

 

A record 43 Israeli athletes competed in Beijing, with the team winning one medal, a bronze in the men's windsufring for Shahar Zubari.

 

But, with half the team under the age of 23, there is high expectations that they will surpass their previous best performance at the 2004 Athens Olympics when Gail Fridman won the men's windsurfing.

 

Efraim Zinger, the general secretary of the Olympic Committee of Israel (OCI), said: "We're entering a new period and it's clear that we will have less money than we had previously, unless we can get the Olympic preparation law passed.

 

"This is extremely significant and we are going to try and push it forward with all that we've got after the elections.

 

"You can't make long-term plans on the base of a one-off donation.

 

"Now is the time to act.

 

"This is the answer to all our financial struggles."

 

Zinger wants the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, to provide more funding for its competitors.

 

He said: "In a way, the fact that we got the donation subconsciously affected the [Knesset] because they knew we had money.

 

"The whole process kept getting postponed because they knew we would manage in Beijing.

 

"That was true, but this time the law is the solution.

 

"It's the answer to our difficulties.

 

"I hope we can get it passed in the first session of the next Knesset."