UN experts demand exclusion of Israel from football events

Several experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council demanded the exclusion of Israel from international football events in a statement published on Tuesday.

The Council called on football governing body FIFA and European football ruling body UEFA to take the appropriate steps as a necessary response to address the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

"Sports must reject the perception that it is business as usual," the experts said.

"Sporting bodies must not turn a blind eye to grave human rights violations, especially when their platforms are used to normalize injustices."

Israel consistently rejects all allegations made within the framework of the UN Human Rights Council. The country accuses the Council and its rapporteurs of being biased against Israel.

The group of experts includes rapporteurs on cultural rights, on human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, and racism.

They referred to last week's report by the independent commission of inquiry of the UN Human Rights Council which said Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recently rejected sanctions against Israel. It said there was no violation of the Olympic Charter.

In the case of sanctions against Russian and Belarusian athletes because of the war in Ukraine, the IOC cited violations of the Olympic Charter as the reason.

Russian and Belarusian athletes have only been allowed to participate in international sports events as neutrals.