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FIFA, the world governing body of football, has postponed its decision to potentially suspend Israel on the request of Palestine amidst their ongoing war in Gaza after the FIFA Council meeting in Zurich. Notably, the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) called for FIFA to ban Israel Football Association (IFA), its national and club teams earlier this year with a motion before it being raised at FIFA’s Congress in May, but the decision on it has been delayed multiple times since then prior to the latest announcement on Thursday, October 3.
As per the statement from Gianni Infantino, the President of FIFA, the council has done a thorough assessment with the advice of independent experts after implementing due diligence on the highly sensitive Israel-Palestine matter before deciding to defer the decision on a potential ban of the IFA. They also put together a disciplinary committee to investigate the “alleged offence of discrimination” raised by the PFA against the IFA.
The FIFA Council has implemented due diligence on this very sensitive matter: Gianni Infantino
The statement from FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Palestine's request to suspend Israel, which read, “The FIFA Council has implemented due diligence on this very sensitive matter and, based on a thorough assessment, we have followed the advice of the independent experts.” He also addressed the war in Gaza, and said, “The ongoing violence in the region confirms that, above all considerations, and as stated at the 74th FIFA Congress, we need peace.”
“As we remain extremely shocked by what is happening, and our thoughts are with those who are suffering, we urge all parties to restore peace to the region with immediate effect,” Gianni Infantino further stated.
Moreover, the launch of an investigation from the FIFA Disciplinary Committee into the Israel-Palestine matter is expected to go for some time with the governing body of football not revealing the date of announcing its result to everyone. Their statement stated, “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee will be mandated to initiate an investigation into the alleged offence of discrimination raised by the Palestine Football Association. 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.”
