FIFA Delays Review of Ban on Israeli International Participation
World soccer’s governing body, FIFA, has postponed its decision regarding the Palestinian bid to suspend Israel from international soccer competition over its role in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The Palestine Football Association’s (PFA) submission against the Israel Football Association (IFA), originally submitted in May this year, prompted FIFA to call for an urgent legal evaluation.
The PFA seeks “appropriate sanctions” against Israeli teams, including the national team and clubs.
The governing body had previously promised to address the issue at a special council meeting in July; however, the original due date for the legal assessment to be shared with the executive team by August 31.
“FIFA has received the independent legal assessment of the Palestine Football Association’s proposals against Israel,” the organization stated. “This assessment will be sent to the FIFA Council for review so that the subject can be discussed at its next meeting in October.”
FIFA did not provide further details regarding the assessment or specify the exact date of the meeting.
The Palestinian complaint alleges that the IFA is complicit in violations of international law, discriminates against Arab players, and includes clubs located in Palestinian territories in its league. The IFA has denied these allegations.
The PFA has also claimed that at least 92 Palestinian players have been killed in the conflict and that football infrastructure has been destroyed, leading to suspended leagues and the need for its national team to play World Cup qualifiers abroad.
