Palestinian Alliance Sues FIFA and UEFA Presidents at International Criminal Court for Complicity with Occupation

A broad Palestinian alliance has brought global football leaders into an unprecedented legal confrontation by filing an official complaint with the International Criminal Court. The list of plaintiffs includes 16 diverse Palestinian entities, comprising sports clubs, affected players, and landowners, in a move aimed at holding accountable those responsible for legitimizing sports activities in illegal settlements.

The lawsuit directly targets Gianni Infantino, President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), and Aleksander Čeferin, President of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The two officials face serious accusations of complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity, resulting from the organizations' continued provision of sports and legal cover for settlement activities in the occupied territories.

The core of the case revolves around allowing 11 Israeli clubs to conduct their official activities and compete in local leagues on occupied Palestinian lands in the West Bank. Legal experts view this action as a clear violation of FIFA and UEFA regulations, which prohibit any national association from organizing matches on another association's territory without explicit consent, which the Palestinian Football Association has never granted.

In this context, Jill Thompson, spokesperson for 'Scottish Sport for Palestine,' explained that Palestinian efforts to rectify this situation have not ceased for over a decade and a half. She noted in press statements that the Palestinian Football Association has repeatedly demanded the application of international laws and the exclusion of settlement clubs, but international organizations have preferred a policy of silence and disregard.

The lawsuit addressed the issue of 'double standards' adopted by international sports bodies in dealing with humanitarian and political crises. Sources quoted a professional Palestinian player involved in the lawsuit, expressing his dismay at FIFA's quick response to incidents affecting foreign players, in contrast to a complete disregard for the suffering of Palestinian athletes officially registered with the international federation.

The Palestinian alliance cited in its legal file the case of the late star Suleiman Al-Obeid, known as the 'Palestinian Pelé,' who was martyred during the aggression on the Gaza Strip last summer. Despite his illustrious sports career and representation of the national team, the international federation did not issue any obituary or statement of solidarity, which the plaintiffs considered additional evidence of blatant bias against Palestinians.

These judicial actions seek to compel football organizations to adhere to their own charters and international law, and to halt all sports activities that contribute to entrenching the occupation. This complaint represents a significant legal escalation that could place global sports leaders under international prosecution, in light of the documented ongoing violations against stadiums and players in Palestine.

For 15 years, the Palestinian Football Association has not stopped demanding that FIFA apply its laws and exclude settlement clubs, but silence has been the only response.