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FIFA postpones decision on Israeli football ban – Doha News

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FIFA has postponed a decision on whether to ban Israel from world football until July. Its president, Gianni Infantino, said the world football association must first consult external legal opinions.

FIFA has postponed its decision on whether to ban Israel from world football until July as President Gianni Infantino announced that “external legal advice” would first have to be sought.

The announcement followed an appeal by Palestinian Football Association (PFA) President Jibril Rajoub during the FIFA annual congress in Bangkok on Friday.

In his speech, Rajoub called on FIFA to “stand on the right side of history” and presented statistics on the impact of Israeli military operations in Gaza. He pointed to previous FIFA suspensions against Russia, apartheid-era South Africa and Yugoslavia and asked: “Does FIFA consider some wars more important than others and some victims more significant?”

Rajoub highlighted the deaths of over 250 Palestinian athletes, mostly soccer players, and the destruction of several soccer stadiums.

Facilities in Gaza include the famous Yarmouk Stadium, one of the oldest in Palestine.

In December, occupying forces turned the stadium into an internment camp where dozens of Palestinians were rounded up and humiliated.

He further reiterated his long-standing objection to the inclusion of six teams from Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory in the Israeli football leagues, claiming this violates FIFA regulations.

Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza entered its eighth month, claiming more than 35,000 lives in the besieged enclave.

The Asian Football Association fully supported Rajoub at its congress on Thursday, and his speech was complemented by compelling speeches from the Jordanian federation and another PFA official.

Infantino announced that an extraordinary FIFA Council meeting would be held before July 20 to address the matter, ensuring that it would not wait until the next scheduled meeting in October.

The clash between the European Championships and the Copa America comes before the start of the Olympic Games in Paris, where Israel will compete in the men’s soccer competition.

Infantino noted that the legal assessment would take into account input and claims from both member associations and that his recommendations would be communicated to council members before their meeting.

Israel, which left the Asian Football Confederation in 1974 and joined UEFA in 1992, was questioned at the UEFA Congress in February. However, the UEFA Congress quickly rejected any intention to ban it.

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