Fifa has announced it will conduct additional investigations into the potential for “discrimination” by Israeli football authorities, as confirmed by the governing body following allegations made by the Palestinian FA (PFA) earlier this year. Two new investigations were unveiled during a Fifa council meeting in Zurich on Thursday. The first investigation will focus on “the alleged offence of discrimination raised by the Palestine Football Association,” according to Fifa, while the second pertains to a specific claim by the PFA that clubs based in illegal settlements on occupied territory have been permitted to participate in competitions licensed by the Israeli FA.
Fifa’s decision follows an initial analysis of the claims by independent legal experts. “The Fifa council has exercised due diligence on this highly sensitive issue and, after a comprehensive assessment, we have adhered to the recommendations of the independent experts,” stated Fifa president, Gianni Infantino. “The ongoing violence in the region underscores that, above all else, we need peace. We call on all parties to restore peace to the region without delay.”
The original Palestinian submission was presented in May to the Fifa congress in Bangkok, calling for “immediate and appropriate sanctions against Israeli teams, including national teams and clubs, in response to the unprecedented violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed by the Israeli occupation in Palestine, particularly in Gaza.” The submission also highlighted “violations of regulations” concerning Israeli teams in Palestinian territory.
Following the congress, Infantino initiated a legal review. “Football should never be a pawn in politics and must always serve as a vehicle for peace,” he remarked at the time. “This legal assessment will need to consider the inputs and claims of both member associations.” The assessment was initially scheduled for discussion in August but was postponed, with an extraordinary meeting of the congress convened for this week.
There is no set timeline for the completion of these investigations, and the council will seek advice before taking any action based on the outcomes. Campaigners advocating for Fifa to sanction Israel’s football authorities described the council’s decision as “delaying the inevitable.” “It’s a predictably weak and cowardly response from Fifa,” commented Nick McGeehan, director of the human rights organization FairSquare. “The evidence clearly shows that the Israeli FA is in breach of Fifa statutes, and there are multiple reasons for its suspension.”
Fifa has been aware of IFA violations since 2015 and has consistently delayed addressing the issue, which is what it is doing now. For Infantino to portray Fifa’s inaction as a form of peacemaking is another indication of the organization’s poor governance.”
