Soccer fans carrying an Israeli flag at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Photo: Reuters/Henry Romero.
The Israel Football Association (IFA) has reacted to FIFA’s recent decision not to suspend the Israeli club and instead investigate the IFA over allegations of discrimination by the Palestinian Football Association (PFA), which is also calling for Israel’s suspension from international soccer matches.
“Whoever fantasized about the suspension of Israeli football from the international arena or sanctions through lies and false accusations, has suffered a defeat,” read a statement given to Fox News Digital by IFA head of communications Shlomi Barzell over the weekend. “Again, we have acted over time in different channels, in a calculated and proactive manner in the face of the challenge of the Palestinian Association and its leader to distort reality, and the result today leaves no room for doubt.”
“We respect the authors of the report submitted to the council members and the decision of the council members to consider transferring two issues to a legal examination, as long as there is any factual justification for it,” the statement further noted. “Thanks to values that represent a glorious democracy and an independent and determined legal system of the Football Association, we have never violated and will not violate any of the FIFA/UEFA rules.”
FIFA, the world’s governing body for soccer, announced on Oct. 3 that its disciplinary committee will launch an investigation into claims by the PFA that the IFA is complicit in the Israeli government’s alleged violation of international law during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. The PFA also accused the IFA of discriminating against Arab players and including teams located in Palestinian territory in its leagues.
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee will be mandated to initiate an investigation into the alleged offense of discrimination raised by the Palestine Football Association,” FIFA said in a statement. “FIFA’s Governance, Audit, and Compliance Committee will be entrusted with the mission to investigate — and subsequently advise the FIFA Council on — the participation in Israeli competitions of Israeli football teams allegedly based in the territory of Palestine.”
FIFA gave no timetable for when results of the investigation will be announced.
“The FIFA Council has implemented due diligence on this very sensitive matter and, based on a thorough assessment, we have followed the advice of the independent experts,” added FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “The ongoing violence in the region confirms that, above all considerations, and as stated at the 74th FIFA Congress, we need peace. As we remain extremely shocked by what is happening, and our thoughts are with those who are suffering, we urge all parties to restore peace to the region with immediate effect.”
The PFA submitted a proposal in May to sanction Israel and ban Israeli teams from all international soccer competitions due to the war in Gaza. The proposal cited “international law violations committed by the Israeli occupation in Palestine, particularly in Gaza” and referenced FIFA statutory commitments on human rights and against discrimination. The proposal also accused the Israel Football Association (IFA) of “providing moral, economic, and practical support to the occupation” of Palestinian territories.
FIFA has repeatedly delayed making its final decision about the PFA proposal.
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