In a move stunning for its hypocrisy and chutzpah, the Palestinian Football Association has asked the International Federation of Soccer, known as FIFA, to suspend Israel, which would effectively ban the Jewish state from participating in the world’s most popular sport. The proposal is headed for a vote at the May 29 meeting of the FIFA congress; three-quarters of the 209 member nations would have to approve the motion.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter has said the right things so far, declaring Israel has violated no FIFA rules. He opposes the proposal and the politicization of soccer in general. But he says he is powerless to take the motion off the agenda, which may explain this week’s intense shuttle diplomacy between Jerusalem and Ramallah, where Blatter met separately with senior Israeli and Palestinian officials.
Israel put forth a compromise, offering to give Palestinian soccer players special identification cards and provide them with an escort between the West Bank and Gaza. But the PFA rejected the proposal.
As our cover story on BDS and anti-Semitism this week details, the battle to demonize, delegitimize and marginalize Israel is fought on many fronts. The effort to bring international sports into the fray signifies a new low.
It’s comical that FIFA of all organizations would punish Israel for alleged human rights violations. FIFA member nations include North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Iran and many other egregious violators of human rights. There are no pending proposals to ban any of them.
In fact, FIFA recently awarded the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, hardly a paragon of liberal democracy. Since then, the BBC, Reuters and other reputable news organizations have reported on Qatar illegally detaining journalists and mistreating migrant workers who are building new soccer stadiums for, of all things, the World Cup.
Some have likened conditions in Qatar to slave labor, and so far, to its shame, FIFA has not acted.
The main grievance of the Palestinian Football Association is that Israel restricts the movement of its team members, barring some from traveling to games. The Israeli Soccer Association notes that this is a security issue, to be taken up with the appropriate state apparatus — the soccer team and fans should not suffer for it.
Mideast politics is behind this proposal, nothing less. We hope FIFA members will see through it, do the right thing and reject the proposal.
Because once the organization makes the fateful decision to politicize soccer, it’s a whole new ballgame.