Hawzah News Agency- The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) executives have held meetings with representatives of the Game Over Israel campaign following the recent ceasefire in Gaza, exploring the possibility of suspending "Israel" from international football competitions, sources told The Athletic.
The discussions come amid mounting calls from member associations, athletes, and human rights organizations to reconsider "Israel’s" participation in UEFA events, citing its countless violations of international law and the governing body’s statutes. UEFA has not publicly addressed the matter.
Launched in New York on September 17, the Game Over Israel campaign is a coalition of activists, humanitarians, and football fans advocating for Palestinian justice. The campaign emerged one day after a United Nations Commission of Inquiry concluded that "Israel" had committed genocide in Gaza. The group, primarily funded by the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and advised by former UN human rights officials, has called on sports organizations worldwide to boycott Israeli teams.
Sources indicated that UEFA was close to holding a vote in late September on "Israel’s" continued participation in European competitions. However, the leadership decided to pause the decision following a fragile ceasefire announced on September 29.
The ongoing discussions have focused on the legal and practical implications of a potential suspension. While UEFA’s executive committee is considered unlikely to impose an immediate ban, the organization is monitoring two legal challenges from Ireland and Switzerland that could compel action under international law.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has expressed concern for Palestinians in Gaza, using public gestures to highlight the crisis, including a banner at the Super Cup final reading, “Stop killing children; Stop killing civilians.”
A letter from prominent footballers, including Paul Pogba and Adama Traore, urged UEFA to avoid complicity in “genocide and crimes against humanity''.
The Football Association of Ireland recently voted to submit a motion requesting a formal ban on "Israel", pointing to violations of anti-racism statutes and the construction of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Palestinian footballers, local clubs, and multiple international advocacy groups are also preparing to lodge a case before the International Criminal Court, accusing FIFA president Gianni Infantino and UEFA President Ceferin of enabling Israeli war crimes and a wider system of apartheid.
The destruction has extended deeply into Gaza’s sports sector. According to figures from the Gaza Government Media Office, 894 members of the sporting community, namely players, referees, coaches, and club officials, have been killed, including more than 400 footballers.
Over the past two years, 292 sports facilities have been destroyed or severely damaged, from stadiums and youth clubs to training halls and community fields. Academic analyses have similarly documented the systematic targeting of civilian infrastructure, including sports complexes, schools, and health centers, during Israeli military campaigns.
Source: Al Mayadeen
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