Andrews calls for Israeli teams to be expelled from all UEFA competitions

Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on sports Chris Andrews has called for Israeli teams to be banned from European and international competitions.

He said that FIFA and UEFA banned Russian teams from European and international competitions following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022 and said the same standard is not being applied to Israel.

In a letter signed by 67 TDs and Senators, including many members of opposition parties and Government TD Patrick Costello, FIFA and UEFA were told “football cannot contribute to the legitimation of the occupation and extermination of the
Palestinian people.”

“We saw, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a unanimous and correct approach taken by international sporting organisations to remove Russia, and Russian clubs, from international and European sporting competitions, yet when it comes to the atrocities being carried out day in and day out by Israel against Palestinians, international sporting bodies have continued to look the other way, “Andrews said.

The Dublin Bay South TD accused FIFA and UEFA of “hypocrisy” and said it “must be called out.”

“Sporting bodies should not be complicit, and I want to acknowledge the tireless campaigning work over the past number of months by Irish Sport for Palestine, a group of Irish sportspersons past and present, who have used their voice and platform to call out Israeli sport-washing and the hypocrisies of international sporting bodies.”

Andrews pointed to previous boycotts such as the ones deployed against apartheid-era South Africa in the 1980s as examples of boycotts and bans working.

“We know how important sport boycotts and sporting sanctions can be; sporting boycotts remain as important now as they did in the fight to end apartheid in South Africa,” he said.

“As members of the Oireachtas, we must support such efforts and that is why we have written to FIFA and UEFA calling for the Israeli national team, and Israeli clubs, to be expelled from all European and international tournaments until the genocide in Gaza ends.”

“I would like to thank all of the TDs and Senators who joined this call. All parties in opposition – Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, Social Democrats, People Before Profit and Aontú – have signed this letter, and there has been support from numerous independents.”

The letter reads “Since October 7th, more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and the Occupied West Bank by Israel, in an unprecedented massacre against the Palestinian people; we, as members of the Irish parliament, and as political representatives of the people of Ireland, call on FIFA, UEFA, and all other competent bodies to take decisive action against the continuing human rights violations in Palestine.”

“The murdering of civilians, the blockade of humanitarian aid and the destruction of infrastructure – which also affects players, referees, public servants and sport facilities – cannot be ignored.

Andrews spoke out following the appointment of former Irish striker Robbie Keane being appointed as manager of Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv last summer.

Speaking last June, he said “it is very disappointing that Irish football icon Robbie Keane would sign up with racist and apartheid Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv – Keane is in a position to set an example and boycott apartheid but chose not to.”

Andrews called for members of Government parties, including the Ministers for Sport, to support the letter like they did when Russia were banned from international sporting competitions.

“Israel cannot be allowed to use sporting events to promote its war machine against the Palestinian people. Sporting bodies and sporting communities must stand up for human rights, justice and freedom,” he said.