Legal Experts Urge UEFA, OIC Sport Ministers to Suspend Israel Over Gaza Conflict

There is a growing international call to suspend Israel from global football and sports competitions due to its actions in Gaza, which critics label as violations of international law including genocide. Over 30 legal experts, human rights groups, and campaigners have urged UEFA to impose an immediate ban on Israel's national and club teams, citing reports by the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry and the International Court of Justice that accuse Israel of war crimes and genocide. They argue that continuing to allow Israel's participation in sports amounts to sports-washing and normalizing violence, while highlighting the destruction of Gaza's sports infrastructure and the death of hundreds of Palestinian footballers. Iranian officials have also called for a unified Islamic sports front to push for Israel's suspension from international sports bodies such as the IOC. Despite these pressures, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has stated that FIFA has no plans to ban Israel, emphasizing that the organization cannot resolve geopolitical issues. The debate draws parallels to previous sports bans on countries like apartheid South Africa and Russia, underscoring the tension between sports governance and international human rights obligations.