FIFA defers decision on appeal to ban Israel from football amid war on Gaza
Al Jazeera
FIFA says its disciplinary committee will ‘review the allegations of discrimination’ raised by Palestine in May.
FIFA has once again postponed a decision on the Palestinian call to ban Israel from football amid its ongoing war on Gaza.
Following a meeting at its headquarters in Zurich on Thursday, the Federation Internationale de Football Association – FIFA, football’s world governing body – said its disciplinary committee will review the allegations of discrimination that have been raised by the Palestinian Football Association (PFA).
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee will be mandated to initiate an investigation into the alleged offence of discrimination raised by the Palestine Football Association,” FIFA said in a statement.
“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.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the council had implemented “due diligence” on the matter and followed the advice of independent experts.
