ANKARA
The world’s top sporting governing bodies such as FIFA for football, FIBA in basketball, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are still silent on Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip as the war entered its second year on Oct. 7.
Israeli clubs, national teams, and athletes have been eligible to join international sporting tournaments since last October in football, basketball and the 2024 Paris Olympics held last summer.
The umbrella organizations governing international sporting competitions and local federations did not condemn Israel and are allowing its teams and athletes to compete for titles and medals. Israel, however, has expanded its military operations in Gaza and recently attacked Lebanon with airstrikes and a ground intrusion.
Israel has continued a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since an attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
More than 42,000 victims have since been killed, mostly women and children, and an excess of 97,300 injured in the onslaught, according to local health authorities.
Israel has launched massive airstrikes on Lebanon against what it calls Hezbollah targets, which have killed more than 1,200 victims and injured 3,400 others since Sept. 23. Tel Aviv also started a ground invasion of southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.
The sporting governing bodies have stayed silent on Israel’s brutal offensive. But, FIFA, FIBA and IOC immediately sanctioned Moscow after Russia launched a 2022 “special military operation” against its neighbor, Ukraine.
Russian clubs and teams have been suspended from FIFA and UEFA organizations, and the top-tier Turkish Airlines EuroLeague basketball tournament in Europe. The clubs are still unable to play in the competitions.
Days after Russia started the war on Feb. 24, 2022, the world football’s governing body, FIFA, and Europe’s UEFA, each showed solidarity with Ukraine.
FIFA condemned the Russian attack on Ukraine.
“FIFA condemns the use of force by Russia in Ukraine and any type of violence to resolve conflicts. Violence is never a solution and FIFA calls on all parties to restore peace through constructive dialogue,” it said in a statement. “FIFA also continues to express its solidarity to the people affected by this conflict.”
FIFA and UEFA suspended Russian clubs and national teams from all competitions on Feb. 28, 2022, which meant the Russian men’s national team was kicked out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup held later that year in Qatar.
With an additional sanction, FIFA banned the Russian flag and anthem at matches abroad and said no international competition would be played in Russia.
In May 2022, UEFA said Russia were disqualified from the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 and replaced by Portugal.
In the same year, UEFA confirmed that Russia were banned from participating in the men’s EURO 2024 in Germany.
After Russia attacked Ukraine in 2022, UEFA said it “shares the international community’s significant concern for the security situation developing in Europe.”
“As the governing body of European football, UEFA is working tirelessly to develop and promote football according to common European values such as peace and respect for human rights, in the spirit of the Olympic Charter,” it said in a statement.
“We remain resolute in our solidarity with the football community in Ukraine and stand ready to extend our hand to the Ukrainian people,” it said.
UEFA said it is “dealing with this situation with the utmost seriousness and urgency.”
Israel playing international football matches despite war
The Israeli men’s national football team went on to play at the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifiers and playoffs despite the war in Gaza.
In March, Israel were eliminated by Iceland 4-1 in the EURO 2024 playoffs’ semifinal in Budapest.
The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) submitted a proposal to suspend Israel in May, but in the months prior, FIFA delayed its decision on the bid.
On Oct. 3, the FIFA Council accepted the PFA’s petition against Israel for human rights violations and decided to launch an investigation.
“The FIFA Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee will be entrusted with the mission to investigate – and subsequently advise the FIFA Council on – the participation in Israeli competitions of Israeli football teams allegedly based in the territory of Palestine,” it said.
Israel are currently competing at the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League and faced France on Thursday in a home match in Budapest. Didier Deschamps’ France beat them 4-1 in the Group A2 game.
In the European cups, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, a club from Israel, is competing in the second-tier UEFA Europa League’s 2024-25 season.
Hapoel Beer Sheva, Maccabi Petah Tikva and Maccabi Haifa, who are the other Israeli clubs, have been eliminated in the third-tier UEFA Conference League qualifying rounds.
Israeli basketball giants keep playing in EuroLeague
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, one of the most prominent clubs in European basketball that won the EuroLeague title in 2014, is still competing in the tournament.
Many Russian clubs, however, including former champions CSKA Moscow, were excluded by EuroLeague organizers because of the war against Ukraine, and the EuroLeague’s ban on Russian clubs was extended for the season.
For security reasons, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv are playing all their home games at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall in the Serbian capital of Belgrade.
FIBA also stood by Israel after the Gaza war began.
“FIBA Europe, in close cooperation with the Israel Basketball Federation and the clubs, will continue to monitor the situation as it remains committed to prioritizing the safety and well-being of all participants and stakeholders,” it said after prolonging the postponement of games involving Israeli teams in EuroCup Women and FIBA Europe Cup in October 2023.
In contrast, in March 2022, FIBA said no Russian teams and officials would be allowed to participate in FIBA Basketball because of Moscow’s war against Ukraine, and then it said there would not be any FIBA competitions in Russia and Belarus.
In addition, Russia and Belarus were withdrawn from the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup’s European Qualifiers, and no teams replaced them.
Russia did not play in the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Australia for the same reason.
IOC allows Israel to appear at Paris Games
Israeli athletes were allowed to compete for medals at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
Asked if Israel would be allowed to participate in Paris, IOC President Thomas Bach said, “No, there is no question about this” as 87 Israeli Olympians traveled to France to participate under Israel’s flag.
Israel finished the Paris Games with seven medals, including a gold by Tom Reuveny in men’s windsurfing at the Marseille Marina.
However, the IOC condemned the acts of Russia and sanctioned its athletes.
“Because war is the antithesis of the Olympic ideal,” IOC vice-president John Coates said. “We condemn the acts of the Russian Federation. They have lost their right to membership of the international Olympic community.”
He added that Russian athletes at the Paris Games would compete as “individual neutral athletes,” and “they’ll participate without the Russian flag or anthem.”
“Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) are athletes with Belarusian or Russian passports who have been confirmed as eligible and invited to compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024,” the IOC said in July.
