International athletes call for FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israeli clubs and national team

Nearly 50 prominent athletes of various nationalities and backgrounds, including France’s Paul Pogba and Morocco’s Hakim Ziyech, have signed an official petition calling on FIFA and UEFA to ban all Israel clubs and national teams from international competitions, citing what they described as:

war crimes and systematic violations against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

FIFA and UEFA see calls to ban Israel from international competitions

The initiative, launched by the Athletes 4 Peace coalition, emphasised that the signatories, despite their different affiliations and beliefs, are united in their conviction that sport should be an advocate for justice and humanity, not a tool for normalising human rights violations.

According to the French website RMC, the list includes big names in the world of sports, most notably French star and 2018 World Cup winner Paul Pogba, Moroccan Hakim Ziyech, Dutchman Anwar El Ghazi, and Malian duo Cheikh Diabaté and Cheikh Doucouré. British boxer Zach Shealy and coach Nigel Pearson also signed, along with former English cricketer Moin Ali and his compatriot Ajaz Patel, rugby player Ellis Makani, and equestrian champion Khadija Malah.

Official petition and mounting pressure

The New Arab reported that the athletes had submitted an official petition to FIFA and UEFA. It demands that FIFA and UEFA bar the occupation from participating in tournaments, in a move similar to the sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.

This demand is in line with previous calls by eight UN experts. On Tuesday 23 September, they called on the international and European federations to take a similar stance. Meanwhile the British newspaper the Times previously revealed that a number of European clubs have expressed their refusal to face Israeli teams and have begun to address UEFA to find a legal mechanism to prevent this.

Actions by sports federations and bodies

Recently, the possibility of a vote within UEFA to suspend the participation of Israeli clubs and the Israeli national team has been raised as a legal measure in response to growing criticism of Israel’s continued participation amid the situation in Gaza.

Turkey has also taken a clear stance. The president of the Turkish Football Federation Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu has called on FIFA and UEFA to take action, saying that the time has come to take strict measures against Israel’s participation in the game.

Several media outlets and sports analysts have joined the growing calls to stop Israel’s participation. They have argued that sport cannot remain silent in the face of human rights violations.

International and Arab positions

The Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom noted in a previous report that US pressure prevented the suspension of the occupation’s membership. However, at the same time, it pointed out that UEFA is considering options that could lead to the exclusion of the occupation’s clubs and national team from continental competitions.

In 2024, Arab football associations, including Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), sent a joint letter to FIFA demanding that it bar the occupation’s national team from participating. This move prompted FIFA’s disciplinary committee to open a formal investigation into the occupation’s violations and discrimination.

Palestinian call to speed up decision on Israel’s FIFA/UEFA ban

The Palestinian Football Association issued a statement formally demanding the suspension of Israeli sports teams and players from international competitions until Israel stops its crimes in the Gaza Strip.

The statement stressed that allowing Israel to participate in sports while continuing its systematic violence undermines the foundations of justice and the principles on which international sports federations are based.

Feature image via screengrab.