UN human rights experts have urged FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel’s national football team from international competitions as a response to the ongoing genocide in the occupied Palestinian territory. The experts referenced the United Nations Commission of Inquiry’s conclusion that Israel is committing genocide, as well as the International Court of Justice’s Interim Order of January 2024, which reminds all countries of their legal obligations to prevent and punish genocide under universally recognized international law.
The experts emphasized that sporting organizations cannot ignore grave human rights violations, noting that allowing Israel to participate in international sports normalizes injustices. They stressed that states hosting competitions or engaging with Israel in sporting events must consider their own obligations to act and not remain neutral in the face of genocide.
The experts clarified that any boycott or suspension should target the State of Israel and not individual players, who should not be discriminated against for the actions of their government. They highlighted that national teams representing countries committing large-scale human rights violations can and have been suspended in the past.
They further noted that private international organizations, including FIFA and UEFA, are bound by international human rights law under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The experts acknowledged civil society efforts calling for Israel’s suspension and stressed that sporting bodies must not provide aid or assistance that sustains the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Concluding their statement, the UN experts reinforced that FIFA and UEFA have a legal and moral duty to act, implementing the ICJ Advisory Opinion and imposing consequences on Israel for violating international law. They urged immediate action to stop legitimizing Israel’s unlawful occupation and to take all measures possible to end the genocide in Gaza.
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