UN experts call for ban on Israel from international football amid unfolding genocide in Palestine

The United Nations experts, including the Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, demand that FIFA and the Union of European Football Associations ban Israel from international football as a crucial response to address the ongoing genocide in the occupied Palestinian territory.

“The conclusion of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel, that Israel is committing genocide, is the latest in a growing number of international bodies affirming that genocide is being committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The ICJ’s Interim Order of 26 January 2024 reminded every country of its legal obligations to act against genocide,” the experts said in a press release issued on September 23.

The obligations to prevent, not to commit or incite, and to punish genocide are universally recognised as peremptory norms of international law that apply to all, at all times, without exception, they noted.

“Sports must reject the perception that it is business as usual,” they said. “Sporting bodies must not turn a blind eye to grave human rights violations, especially when their platforms are used to normalise injustices.”

The experts stressed that States in which international organisations are based, States which hold competitions, and those engaging in sporting competitions with Israel, must consider their own obligations not to remain neutral in the face of genocide.

“We are clear that the boycott must be addressed to the State of Israel and not to individual players. We have always maintained that individuals cannot bear the consequences of the decisions their government makes, so there should be no discrimination or sanctions against individual players because of their origin or nationality,” the experts added.

“National teams representing States that commit massive human rights violations can and should be suspended, as has happened in the past,” they said.

Private international organisations, such as international sports associations like FIFA and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) , are bound by international human rights law in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

The experts acknowledged several efforts by civil society calling for FIFA and UEFA to suspend the Israeli team.

“They must fulfil their obligations not to provide aid or assistance that would help maintain the situation created by Israel's illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” they said.

“We support the calls for action that aim to encourage the implementation of the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice and impose consequences on the State of Israel for breaching international law,” the experts said.

“Once again, we urge FIFA to stop legitimising the situation arising from Israel’s unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” the expert said. “There is a legal and moral imperative to take every measure possible to end the genocide in Gaza now.”

The Palestinian-led movement for freedom, justice, and equality, Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS), have also called for banning Israel from international sports several times.

In the past, the ban on apartheid South Africa from international sports was practiced as a part of the global movement to put pressure on the South African state during the apartheid era.

The UN General Assembly had adopted the International Convention against Apartheid in Sports on 10 December 1985 to curb the participation of  South African athletes for the state, as they had to undertake an oath not to return to apartheid South Africa and represent it.

The UN experts calling for a ban on Israel include:

Alexandra Xanthaki, the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights

K.P. Ashwini, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intoleranc

Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967

Pichamon Yeophantong (Chairperson), Damilola Olawuyi (Vice-Chairperson), Fernanda Hopenhaym, Lyra Jakulevičienė, and Robert McCorquodale, Working Group on business and human rights