Double standards on the pitch: when does mixing sports with politics become acceptable?

Double standards on the pitch: when does mixing sports with politics become acceptable?

By Asmahan Qarjouli

Recent geopolitical tensions left many questioning what has been described as ‘hypocrisy’ by the international community.

Sports diplomacy has come under the global spotlight once again, with significant moves banning Russia from playing at the much-anticipated 2022 FIFA World Cup, as FIFA and UEFA suspend the Russian national team from playing in their international competitions in light of the latest Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

Whilst the swift move received global praise, it amplified echoing calls from thousands, if not millions, who have been oppressed by numerous world powers over the last years and decades. 

Whilst the swift move received global praise, it amplified echoing calls from thousands, if not millions, who have been oppressed by numerous world powers over the last years and decades. 

Read more: European countries call for Russia to be banned from 2022 World Cup

Such comparisons include the lack of action against Israel, which has persisted in its occupation of Palestine for more than 70 years. 

Israel’s occupation of Palestine 

On Monday, former Egyptian football player and beIN Sports commentator Mohamed Aboutrika, called for banning the Zionist entity in partaking in all sporting events, saying, “The decision to ban Russian clubs and teams from participating in all tournaments must be accompanied with a ban on clubs and teams under the Zionist entity, because it is an occupier that has been murdering children and women in Palestine for years.”

“But you (FIFA) use double standards,” he added.

Aboutrika himself was a victim of the double standards, when he displayed solidarity with Palestinians under blockade in Gaza by Israel and Egypt in 2008. During a match against Sudan at the Africa Cup of Nations, he revealed a t-shirt with the slogan “Sympathy with Gaza”.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) was quick to issue him a warning for ‘mixing politics with sports’.

Similarly in 2009, former French-born Malian footballer Frederic Kanoute was fined by the Royal Spanish Football Federation for showing his solidarity with Palestine during a match against Deportivo La Coruña.

Whilst it took four days to ban Russia for their invasion of Ukraine, Palestinians who have been witnessing years of occupation have yet to witness a similar move against Israel.

For years, rights groups and the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) called on football associations and the international community to terminate Israel’s participation in sporting events.

Flagrant human rights abuses committed by Israel include their attempts to isolate Palestinians from being involved in global tournaments. In 2019, Israel decided to cancel the FIFA Palestine Cup by denying Gaza’s players travel permits.

Israel restrictions on the movement of Palestinians are highly repressive, with at least 700 obstacles placed around the West Bank and up to 140 checkpoints.

Palestinians and activists from all over the world have long accused FIFA of ignoring their letters to suspend the Israeli Football Association’s membership.

Other football organisations including the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) have also failed to take action against Israel. In 2013, Israel was the host of UEFA’s Under-21 Championship

More recently, Israel mulled over the possibility of hosting the World Cup in 2030.

Copyright; Doha News