FIFA hypocrisy on display as it defers Palestinian motion to bar Israel
During FIFA’s annual congress on May 17 in Bangkok, Thailand, Palestinian Football Association (PFA) president Jibril Rajoub gave an impassioned speech in which he revealed that “the Palestinian people, including the Palestinian football family, are enduring an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.” Rajoub, who also heads Palestine’s Olympic Committee, went on to explain that Israel had repeatedly and systemically violated FIFA’s mandates, noting the “Israeli Football Association’s inclusion in its national league of illegal settlement clubs located in the occupied Palestinian territories”. “The numerous committees to address these issues have either failed to provide effective resolutions or have not reported back to the congress that mandated them,” he added during his speech.
By Karim Zidan
Founder of Sports Politika
Rajoub’s speech came in the wake of a motion filed by the PFA to temporarily suspend Israel over its ongoing destruction of Gaza and the subsequent humanitarian crisis that resulted from Israel’s indiscriminate bombardment of the besieged strip.
Yet despite the emotionally charged speech and the thunderous applause that followed, FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, declined to call a vote.
Instead, Infantino claimed that FIFA planned to assemble experts to analyze whether Israel violated the governing body’s sanctions before convening an extraordinary meeting of FIFA’s top board in July to make a decision.
“FIFA will mandate, as of now, independent legal expertise to assess the three requests [from the Palestinian FA] and ensure the statutes of FIFA are applied in the right way,” Infantino said.
“Due to the urgency of the situation, an extraordinary FIFA Council will be convened and will take place before July 20 to review the results of the legal assessment and to take the decisions that are appropriate.”
The decision to defer the motion is unsurprising. Over the past few months, both the Israeli and Palestinian football associations have lobbied other national associations for support. While the Asian football governing body agreed to back the Palestinian motion, Israel managed to prevent the motion from reaching a vote, while also garnering substantial support from most of UEFA, Europe’s football governing body.
On May 17, Israel’s FA president Shino Moshe Zuares responded to Jibril’s speech by reverting to his tried and tested statements calling for the depoliticization of sports.
“I believe football must be a key element of healing the fractures and the wounds, helping us to recover,” Zuares said. “Yet once again we are facing a cynical, political, and hostile attempt by the Palestinian association to harm Israeli football.”
Zuares’ statement exemplifies how those with social and political privilege often advocate for the separation of sports and politics to suit their interests. In this instance, Israel — a country that has occupied Palestinian territories since 1967 — is insisting that sports be used to distract from or normalize its treatment of Palestinians, rather than highlight the injustices resulting from years of occupation and dispossession.
Meanwhile, FIFA, which acted at record speed to bar Russia from competitions after the country launched its assault on Ukraine, is more than happy to embolden Israel’s actions by shielding it from consequences or condemnation.
FIFA’s failure to take decisive action in response to the PFA’s motion highlights a glaring double standard and deepens the credibility crisis already facing the organization. With pressing issues such as the unreleased report on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and a noticeable decline in transparency under Infantino’s leadership, FIFA’s commitment to accountability and justice remains in serious doubt. Until FIFA addresses these systemic issues and applies its principles consistently, its integrity will continue to be called into question.
The article first appeared on Sports Politika.