Ireland's football federation to call on UEFA to ban Israel from European club, int'l competitions

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has backed a motion to call on UEFA to ban Israel from European club and international competitions. (Photo/via TRT)

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has backed a motion to call on UEFA to ban Israel from European club and international competitions.

Dublin-based club Bohemians tabled the resolution on Saturday, saying Israel violated two provisions of the UEFA statutes.

The motion was carried by 74 votes to seven with two abstentions.

In a statement, the FAI said they will now "submit a formal motion to the UEFA executive committee requesting the immediate suspension of the Israel Football Association from UEFA competitions."

The two breaches of UEFA statutes refer to "organisation of clubs in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association" and the "failure of the IFA (Israel Football Association) to implement and enforce an effective anti-racism policy."

Calls for suspension

Israel's national and club teams compete in UEFA's competitions, but have largely played their home matches in neutral venues.

Similar calls from Turkish and Norwegian football bosses for Israel to be suspended from international competition were previously made.

Bohemians said in a statement they were "proud" to have advanced the motion and expressed gratitude to those delegates who had voted in favour.

American Republican senator Lindsey Graham criticised the move, claiming it would be "punishing the Jewish people."

Plans by UEFA to vote on whether to suspend Israel from European competition because of the two-year genocide in Gaza were paused last month after the ceasefire took place.

Although Israel is geographically located in Asia, it is registered in FIFA's Europe region. It was kicked out of the Asian Football Federation in 1974 following a Kuwaiti motion to expel it after the Gulf country and North Korea refused to play against Israel in the Asian games over its occupation of Palestine.

___

Source: TRT