FIFA postpones decision on Israel’s suspension until after the Olympic Games in Paris

FIFA has postponed its decision on a possible exclusion of Israel from international football and extended the deadline until after the Olympic Games in Paris.

The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) originally proposed suspending its Israeli counterpart’s associations in May, calling on FIFA to take similar measures to previous suspensions of countries such as Russia or South Africa during apartheid.

FIFA, the world football association responsible for organizing the Olympic football tournaments, has decided to postpone the tournament after the PFA and the Israel Football Association asked for more time to present their arguments.

The PFA, who delivered an impassioned speech at FIFA’s Annual Congress in Bangkok, pointed to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and claimed that Israeli teams playing in Palestinian territories were in breach of FIFA rules.

Under the leadership of its president, Jibril Rajoub, the PFA had called for Israel to be suspended, citing the impact of Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip. According to Rajoub, over 250 Palestinian athletes had died and several football stadiums had been destroyed during these operations.

Shino Moshe Zuares, president of the Israel Football Association, dismissed Rajoub’s demand as a “cynical political and hostile attempt to harm Israeli football.” Zuares stressed that his country had also suffered from the ongoing hostilities and that several Israelis were still being held hostage.

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino had initially promised an urgent review and scheduled an extraordinary council meeting for July. On Thursday, however, world football’s governing body announced that the independent legal assessment of the situation would now be presented to council members by August 31, 2024.

“After both parties requested an extension to submit their respective positions and this was duly granted by FIFA, more time is required to complete this process with due diligence and completeness,” FIFA said in a post on X.

FIFA has thanked its two member associations for their cooperation and reiterated its commitment to a fair and comprehensive review. The delay ensures that a decision on Israel’s suspension will not be made until after the Paris Olympics, where Israel will be allowed to participate in the men’s football tournament.

Israel launched its offensive in the Gaza Strip in response to the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, which killed more than 1,000 Israelis. In the war that followed, both sides were criticized.

Israel will only participate in the men’s football tournament at the Olympic Games, not the women’s tournament. The team has been drawn into Group D, along with Japan, Paraguay and Mali.

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(AFP via Getty Images)