Israel takes three medals in European Games

BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 17 (UPI) -- Israel took home a third medal Wednesday at the European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan.

As an Olympic-style affair hosted by a country known for attacking human rights and an autocratic government, the European Games have given the Israeli delegation the chance to excel in gymnastics, wrestling and sport shooting.

On Wednesday, Israel scored a third medal, with its gymnastics team, winning a silver prize in the all-around group final with an overall score of 35.050. Russia came in first with a close score of 35.300.

Israel's first victor was Ilana Kratysh, who took home a silver medal Monday when she placed in the women's 69 kilogram freestyle wrestling category. Sports shooter Sergey Richter took home the second medal, a bronze that earned him a place in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

The delegation as a whole is seeking participation in the Olympics next year.

Delegation athletes Sean Faiga and Ariel Hilman began their beach volleyball competition Wednesday with a 2-0 win against Turkey. The gymnasts will also compete in two more finals on Sunday.

Although Azerbaijan flew in almost 6,000 athletes from about 50 countries, it also banned numerous media and rights organizations, such as Platform and Amnesty International. British reporter Owen Gibson, who reported on free speech violations committed by the country, was also denied entry.

Romania's president, Klaus Iohannis, was disappointed that the country's prime minister, Victor Ponta, was in Baku on June 12 for the games' opening, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Erdogan. Ponta had been identified as part of a corruption scheme and rejected Iohannis' request to resign.