July 19 – Israel will be allowed to compete at the Olympic football tournament after FIFA delayed a decision over Palestine’s call to suspend the Israel Football Association (IFA).
FIFA claimed that “more time was needed” to resolve the dispute and its fraught legal context after both the Palestinian FA (PFA) and IFA demanded an extension to file their legal submissions.
The postponement saves FIFA from a ruling that could have seen Israel banned from the Olympic competition which kicks-off on July 24.
In a statement on Thursday, FIFA wrote: “Following requests for extension from both parties to submit their respective positions, duly granted by FIFA, more time is needed to conclude this process with due care and completeness.”
“The assessment will be shared with the FIFA Council for any subsequent decision no later than 31 August 2024.”
At the FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, in May, the PFA proposed a motion to suspend the IFA over the war in Gaza and the conflict situation that has prevented football being played in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The Palestinians drew the backing of the Asian Football Confederation and, in particular, the Jordanian FA, as well as widespread support across the rest of the world’s federations.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino however said it was within the remit of the FIFA Council to decide, preventing the Congress from voting on the proposal. He mandated a panel of independent legal experts to assess the dispute. The two-person panel reportedly submitted their report to FIFA several days ago.
The world federation had scheduled an extraordinary Council meeting for July 20, but FIFA confirmed on Thursday that no further decision will be taken before the Olympic flame is extinguished in Paris.
Earlier this week, NGOs and rights groups had called on FIFA to ban Israel from the international game for violations of FIFA statutes and international law.
With regards to the global governing body’s direct obligations, they invoked articles 2, 4, 14, 15 and 71 of the FIFA Statutes.
The senior Israeli national team has played its home matches abroad because of security concerns. since the October 7 Hamas-led terrorist attacks and Israel’s war in Gaza. Palestinian football infrastructure has suffered major damage, but in a historic feat, the national team reached the round of sixteen at the Asian Cup in January.
It’s not the first time that the Palestinians have demanded FIFA investigate IFA’s actions. In 2015, PFA chairman Jibril Rajoub highlighted the case of settlement clubs in the West Bank. FIFA established a monitoring committee under the leadership of the South African Tokyo Sexwale, but in 2017, FIFA and their executive committee ignored the findings of the monitoring committee’s report.
At the Olympic tournament, Israel will feature in Group D alongside Mali, Paraguay and Japan. They kick off their campaign on Wednesday, July 24, against the West African side at the Parc des Princes in the French capital.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1725754509labto1725754509ofdlr1725754509owedi1725754509sni@i1725754509tnuk.1725754509ardni1725754509mas1725754509