Palestinian Lawyers Kecam FIFA And UEFA Protect Israel

JAKARTA - The main legal adviser to the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) Dr. Kat Vilarev, accused FIFA and UEFA of violating their own statutes and international human rights obligations by refusing to remove Israel from global competition, despite what he called "increasingly much evidence of genocide" documented by prominent international agencies.

Vilarev said reports from the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and FairSquare have all concluded that Israel committed gross human rights abuses.

However, he said FIFA President Gianni Infantino and UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin "choose to ignore it."

"Given the involvement of Israeli sports institutions in the genocide of Gaza, FIFA and UEFA are legally bound to act," Vilarev told Anadolu.

"The status, human rights policies and their disciplinary code require them to be in line with the UN Guidelines on Business and Human Rights Principles. FIFA, in particular, has a legal obligation to respect and protect internationally recognized human rights," he explained.

Vilarev further argues that many Israeli athletes actively support or participate in the attacks on Gaza.

"Israeli athletes are soldiers, and some are openly calling for the destruction of Gaza," he said.

"The Israeli club and associations openly support the occupation forces and even hold matches on occupied Palestinian soil. It directly supports illegal settlements and occupations," he said.

Vilarev said the doubles standard was very striking.

"FIFA and UEFA expelled Russia and Belarus for the invasion of Ukraine but refused to hold Israel accountable. They violated their own rules to protect Israel from its consequences," he said. "The two organizations operate without external supervision and can act at will. Their decision should be free from political pressure, but in reality, it is the ruling party who determines the outcome. This is a barbaric violation of justice," he said.

He said the attacks on Gaza's football infrastructure ranged from destroyed stadiums to targeted athletes highlighting how "political neutrality in sports is only on paper."

He claims global sports are still "deeply tied to Western geopolitical interests," while showing most regulatory agencies are backed by companies that own shares in the US and Israeli defense and technology industries.

He also noted that athletes in Gaza do not have legal channels to demand compensation.

"Non-state actors cannot bring cases to the International Criminal Court, and private bodies like FIFA cannot be tried directly there," said Vilarev.

"However, individual leaders such as Infantino and Ceferin can still face accountability if they are proven to be assisting crimes under the jurisdiction of the ICC," he said.

He added that some Israeli settlers who compete for clubs in the occupied West Bank committed war crimes under international law.

"Palestinians who were forcibly expelled have witnessed their land seized for settlements and football clubs built on it. Any country can sue the presidents of FIFA and UEFA for facilitating crimes against humanity through indifference," he said.

Vilarev also urged the formation of a new international mechanism to prevent sports from becoming an impunity shield.

"The difference between the treatment of Russia and Israel shows a moral and legal vacuum," he said.

"We need regulations that are clear and can be enforced not selective justice," he concluded.