Istanbul — The United Nations’ top human rights expert on Palestine has urged Europe’s football governing body to ban Israel from its competitions, accusing the Israeli regime of committing an ongoing genocide in Gaza and weaponizing sport to whitewash its crimes.
Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, said UEFA could not claim moral credibility while allowing Israel to participate alongside nations that adhere to the basic principles of humanity. Her remarks came after the killing of Suleiman al-Obeid, a revered Palestinian footballer known as the “Palestinian Pelé,” who was shot dead by Israeli forces while waiting for humanitarian aid on August 6.
UEFA briefly honored al-Obeid’s legacy in a televised tribute, a gesture that drew both praise and criticism, but Albanese dismissed it as tokenism, saying that sports bodies must take tangible action against what she described as Israel’s “state-sanctioned extermination” of Palestinians. She likened the moment to the era when Apartheid South Africa was expelled from international sport, arguing that Israeli participation today legitimizes its military occupation and ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Her call has resonated with athletes, human rights organizations, and pro-Palestine supporters across Europe who have long criticized the West’s double standards. While Russia was swiftly sanctioned and isolated from global sporting events after launching its special military operation in Ukraine, Israel continues to compete freely despite carrying out systematic attacks that have killed thousands in Gaza and displaced millions. Critics say this reveals the hypocrisy at the heart of Western foreign policy, particularly from the US and its European allies.
Sports historians have pointed to the impact of boycotts during the South African apartheid era, arguing that such measures not only delegitimized the regime but also galvanized global pressure for change. The same strategy, they contend, could be applied to Israel, whose leaders have openly ignored international law while deepening their military grip on Gaza and the West Bank.
Francesca Albanese’s appeal is part of a broader movement to hold Israel accountable through diplomatic, cultural, and economic isolation. Calls for expulsion are gaining traction in grassroots football leagues, fan organizations, and activist circles, where the belief is that the pitch, like the political arena, should not be a haven for war criminals.
According to Anadolu News Agency, Albanese urged UEFA to “make sport apartheid and genocide free” and declared it was “time to expel its killers from competitions.” Her remarks have intensified debate within the sporting community, amplifying calls for Europe’s top football body to follow the example set during apartheid South Africa and send a clear message that genocide has no place in global sport.
