ZURICH: FIFA’s disciplinary committee will be asked to look into allegations of discrimination raised by the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) after it submitted a proposal to suspend Israel in May, world football’s governing body said on Thursday.

At FIFA’s congress in Bangkok in May, the PFA had proposed getting Israel suspended over the war in Gaza, accusing the Israel Football Association (IFA) of complicity in violations of international law by the Israeli government, discrimination against Arab players, and inclusion in its league of clubs located in Palestinian territory.

The IFA rejected the accusations and FIFA was initially set to hold an extraordinary session of its ruling council before July 20 to review the independent legal analysis and decide how to proceed.

However the deadline was pushed back to give legal exp­erts more time to complete a report.

At the organisation’s headqua­rters in Zurich on Thursday, the FIFA council adopted the reco­mmendations and conclusions reached in the legal analysis.

“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 participation in Israeli football competitions of Israeli teams allegedly based in Palestinian territories will also be subject to an investigation.

“FIFA’s Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee will be entrusted with the mission to investigate... the participation in Israeli competitions of Israeli football teams allegedly based in the territory of Palestine,” the ruling body said.

The PFA has said at least 92 Palestinian — non-professional — players have been killed in the war, football infrastructure has been destroyed, its leagues suspended and its national team required to play World Cup qualifiers abroad.

In its proposal, the PFA wanted FIFA to adopt “appropriate sanctions” against Israeli teams, including the national side and clubs.

“The FIFA Council has implemented due diligence on this very sensitive matter and, based on a thorough assessment, we have followed the advice of the independent experts,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said.

“The ongoing violence in the region confirms that, above all considerations, and as stated at the 74th FIFA Congress, we need peace. As we remain extremely shocked by what is happening, and our thoughts are with those who are suffering, we urge all parties to restore peace to the region with immediate effect.”

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2024