FIFA receives assessment of an independent legal analysis: Israel must be suspended

Independent legal analyses by lawyers specialising in international law and human rights concluded that the International Football Association (FIFA) should exclude Israel from participation in all football activities because of the war in Gaza.

In May, the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) called on FIFA to suspend Israel over the genocide it committed in the Gaza Strip. This request was supported by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

However, FIFA responded to the request by demanding an urgent legal assessment of the situation and promising that it would be presented to the public at an extraordinary meeting of the Council this month.

“There is no doubt that Israel’s conduct in Palestine undermines all of FIFA’s objectives. Israel has violated the internationally recognized human rights of Palestinians, thereby violating Article 3. It discriminates against Palestinians on the basis of race, nationality and birth, thereby directly violating Article 4(1). Its conduct undermines the humanitarian objectives described in Article 5.1(b). Therefore, Israel’s conduct requires suspension under the rules adopted by FIFA in relation to similar violations of its objectives and internationally recognized human rights,” said the assessment by lawyers Max du Plessis and Sarah Pudifin-Jones, who were retained by the social justice nonprofit Eko.

Eko added that her petition calling on FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ban Israel from international sports competitions has collected more than 380,000 signatures.