Nine European football federations have been urged by the Game Over Israel campaign, which will formally begin on Wednesday, to boycott the Israeli national team, Israeli club clubs, and to prohibit Israeli players from competing in local tournaments.
Protests are scheduled to occur throughout Europe on Wednesday, with the campaign primarily targeting football federations in Scotland, England, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Greece, and Norway.
It follows the discovery on Tuesday by a United Nations investigation that Israel has committed genocide in Palestine.
The campaign's organizers pointed to specific federations that had previously chosen to boycott Russia following the conflict in Ukraine to support their claim that European federations are capable of making the decision to boycott Israel independently of Uefa, the European football organization.
Following the recent vote by the Scottish Parliament to boycott Israel, activists specifically called on the Scottish FA to consider doing the same.
A number of well-known people have supported the Game Over Israel campaign, including British punk performer Bobby Vylan, Irish actor Liam Cunningham, Irish activist and performer Tadhg Hickey, who is currently participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla, journalist Matt Kennard, and former Match of the Day host Gary Lineker.
The campaign also has the support of organisations including the Hind Rajab Foundation, The Gaza Tribunal, Health Workers 4 Palestine and Tech for Palestine.
Commenting, Ashish Prashar, Game Over Israel campaign manager and a former advisor to the Middle East Peace Envoy, said: “Our position is clear; Israel has no place in football. International human rights defenders and civil society will not abandon the legitimate demand for football federations to step into the gap left by their governing bodies and boycott Israel.
It’s our collective responsibility to work together fans, unions, the public and flood our federations demanding they act now to boycott Israel and send a message that those committing genocide are not welcome on the pitch.”
Former UN human rights official Mokhiber added:
“We are living through a dark moment in history in which a people, locked in the chains of apartheid, are being exterminated before our eyes. None of us will be able to say we did not know. Inaction in such circumstances is complicity. But we do have the power to act.
Sport is a powerful social force. And football, ‘the beautiful game,’ can be a powerful channel for action. Demand that your football federation, and all federations, boycott Israel. Keep football beautiful.”
Richard Falk, president of the Gaza Tribunal, and former UN special rapporteur, commented:
“Israel has for many years used culture and sports to whitewash their violations of international law and human rights, and sporting governing bodies have been shamefully complicit during this genocide.
It’s perfectly legitimate and morally imperative to demand that football federations across Europe and the world boycott Israel. Normalcy is complicity in this abnormal time of prolonged genocide.”
The National understands a protest is set to take place in Scotland, with details to be confirmed in due course. The Scottish FA declined to comment.
What legal consequences could a national sporting boycott have?
Athletes and teams often have obligations in their contracts not to participate in behaviour that may bring disrepute to the sport or organisation. A boycott may lead the parties to litigation or result in the suspension for those who refuse to play.
Sporting organisations are mostly private enterprises, though they have a large level of national interest. Courts may be asked to review their decisions on the basis that they are irrational, or beyond the authority of the sporting organisation's decision making as an ultra vires action. There may be legal proceedings initiated concerning governance, or the lawfulness of a boycott.
Sporting federations (FIFA, IOC, UEFA) regularly include provisions prohibiting political interference and boycotts. Boycotts could lead to sanctions issued by sporting federations, or suspensions or bans imposed on players.