Fri Oct 03 01:15:03 UTC 2025: **Legal Experts Urge UEFA to Ban Israel Over Gaza Atrocities, Citing Genocide**
**Brussels, Belgium** – A group of over 30 legal experts is pressuring the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to ban Israel and its clubs from all competitions. In a letter addressed to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, the experts cite a UN report confirming Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians. They are asking UEFA to uphold international law and immediately ban Israeli football.
The letter highlights the devastating impact of Israel’s military actions on Palestinian football. At least 421 Palestinian footballers have been killed since October 2023, and widespread bombing has decimated Gaza’s football infrastructure.
Signatories include Elisa von Joeden-Forgey, the executive director of the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention, as well as several former UN experts and scholars in international law.
This call comes amid growing international outcry over Israel’s actions in Gaza. Experts point to the historical precedent of banning apartheid South Africa from international sports, including football, and the more recent suspension of Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. They argue that allowing Israel to participate in sports normalizes genocide, making UEFA complicit.
Advocates for Palestinian rights have long called for a ban on Israel, citing the participation of Israeli teams based in illegal West Bank settlements. Current FIFA rules prohibit member associations from playing on the territory of another member without approval.
While UEFA has made statements of support in the past, critics like Liverpool star Mohamed Salah have called out the organization’s lack of clarity on Israel’s role in the violence. Calls for a boycott are growing, with fans across Europe displaying Palestinian flags in solidarity.
The international debate continues as FIFA President Gianni Infantino has suggested that FIFA “cannot solve geopolitical problems.”
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