Hawzah News Agency- The letter argues “sport cannot stand silent while athletes and civilians including children are indiscriminately killed en masse in Gaza”.
Former Aston Villa forward Anwar El Ghazi — who a German court found was unfairly dismissed by Mainz 05 in November 2023 following a social media post expressing support for Palestinians — former Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy and former Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson are among those from the world of football to have signed the letter, alongside former England cricket captain Moeen Ali, boxer Zak Chelli and jockey Khadijah Mellah.
It pays tribute to Suleiman al-Obeid, nicknamed the ‘Palestinian Pele’, who, according to the Palestinian Football Association (PFA), was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in August. “In life, he brought hope through sport; in death, he has become a stark reminder of why the world, and in particular sporting bodies, must act,” the letter reads.
The letter cites a United Nations report from September, which concluded that “the Israeli authorities and Israeli security forces have the genocidal intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip”.
“It is an obligation for sporting bodies to take action against sports teams representing a country which a United Nations commission has concluded is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza,” the letter continues.
The letter was coordinated by Nujum Sports, the representative body for Muslim athletes in the UK, and is presented under the banner of Athletes 4 Peace. Nujum Sports said it was approached by “players from across sports, Muslim, non-Muslim, who want to stand together in calling for justice”.
The letter concludes: “We call upon UEFA to immediately suspend Israel from all competitions until it complies with international law and ends its killing of civilians and the widespread starvation''.
“Sport is not neutral in the face of injustice. To remain silent is to accept that the lives of some are worth less than others. We believe in one standard for all nations and all people, justice without double standards''.
The letter follows members of the UN’s human rights council in calling for Israel’s suspension from football, while the PFA has done so at the last two FIFA congresses.
On Thursday, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump said it will work to keep Israel from being banned from the 2026 men’s World Cup.
Israel’s national and club teams have continued to participate in FIFA and UEFA competitions throughout the conflict in Gaza.
More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza following Israel’s ground invasion, according to local health officials.
Source: The New York Times
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