Campaign to cancel genocidal State of Israel's participation in international sporting events grows momentum
While FIFA & UEFA banned Russia, Israel gets a free pass as they continue to play World Cup qualifiers while bombing hospitals, schools, killing children & journalists
Considering international sporting bodies have severely restricted Russia's participation in several events because of the country's illegal invasion of Ukraine, it's hard to understand why Israel is being given a free pass despite it's ongoing genocide in Gaza that has killed more than 60,000 civilians, more than half of which are women and children.
Yet here we are.
FIFA and UEFA have indefinitely suspended all Russian national teams and clubs from participation in competitions, including World Cup qualifiers. Russian athletes have only been able to participate in Olympic events under the Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) banner since 2023, and other international bodies have banned Russia altogether, including the International Basketball Federation and World Athletics.
Meanwhile, if you thought bombing a hospital wasn't evil enough and certainly a war crime on its own, Israel's military takes it to the next level. Two days ago (Aug. 27, 2025), one of the most sophisticated military force on Earth conducted a so-called 'double-tap' attack on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in Gaza. They bombed the hospital killing at least one person, then, as medical personnel and journalists rushed to the scene they fired more missiles killing 20 more people, including five journalists and several medical staff treating the people injured in the first attack.
Israel is intentionally starving children, blocking aid, sending out disinformation one press conference after another as it conducts a genocide while razing Gaza to the ground.
Yet for some mind-boggling reason, Israeli equestrian rider Daniel Bluman was allowed to participate in a Major League Show Jumping event in Toronto just five days ago on Aug. 23 and, bully for him, win $340,000 in first place. As Israel continues its campaign of starvation of children in Gaza, Bluman can be seen in social media posts spraying champagne on the winner's podium.
About 10 days before that, Bluman was at an event in Ottawa that the Canadian BDS Coalition and International BDS Allies wanted him banned from. (BDS is the non-violent pro-Palestinian movement for "boycott, divestment, and economic sanctions" against Israel.)
"You Can’t Jump Your Way Out of Genocide: No More Sports-Washing at Ottawa’s Premier Equestrian Event," read the campaign headline on letter-writing website ActionNetwork.org.
That campaign clearly failed, but there are bigger events on the horizon.
Two other campaigns involve looking for the cancellation of a Davis Cup World Group event between Canada and Israel on Sept. 12-13, at the Halifax ScotiaCentre.
"Tennis Canada should have the political foresight, maturity, and the moral capacity to refuse what is business as usual," the campaign states. "The Davis Cup does not occur or exist outside the context of Israel's egregious actions."
But the biggest of all is the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted in North America, jointly by Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.
The BDS World Cup campaign takes aim at Canada Soccer's "CanadaRED" campaign, an “enhanced way for fans, supporters, and donors to connect with Canada Soccer” and demonstrate “Canadian pride,” as well as being the exclusive platform to get tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
"But there is nothing to be proud of when FIFA continues to give Israel a free pass," according to the campaign.
The call for Israel's boycott of the World Cup games in North America is growing.
"For decades, Israel has violated FIFA’s principles of human rights, anti-discrimination, and equality in football. This would normally warrant disciplinary actions and even a suspension of its membership. However, the politics of FIFA have prevented the organization from taking such action in the past. Showing blatant hypocrisy on how and when to act. It has failed to act even though the Palestine Football Association (PFA) has documented these violations repeatedly. FIFA even amended its internal by-laws to make it harder for the PFA to demand such action. This makes it clear it is now the responsibility of civil society to apply the pressure necessary to bring this about."
The groups say as the hiring of staff and preparing facilities ramps up, it is a stain on Canada Soccer to host the 2026 World Cup without calling on FIFA and UEFA to sanction Israel’s membership, regardless of whether Israel is a qualifier to the games.
"Canada Soccer needs to call on FIFA and the UEFA to take immediate action to remove Israel."
If you are paying attention, it is impossible not to admit the hypocrisy is clear as in February 2022, FIFA and UEFA suspended Russia within hours of its invasion of Ukraine.
"Yet Israel, despite decades of brutal occupation, systemic segregation, discrimination against Palestinians, and now a live-streamed genocide in Gaza, faces no sanctions. FIFA and UEFA’s double standards must end."
While Israel should obviously be banned and boycotted regardless of it's status on the field, the best Canada Soccer can hope if it keeps its head in the sand is that Israel doesn't qualify. If Moldova can pull out a miracle victory against Israel on Sept. 5 that would or, more likely, if Italy can step up with wins of its own including wins against Israel on Sept. 8 and Oct. 14 in World Cup qualifiers that would help. Israel is in Group I with Norway, Italy, Estonia, and Moldova. Norway has easily secured top spot already and direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup finals. Israel sits in second place with Italy in third, however Italy has only played two games to Israel's three. The three bottom teams will not qualify and only the runner-up to Norway will go through playoffs to make it to 2026.
Join the letter-writing campaign to ban Team Israel from Davis Cup match in Halifax
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Paul J. Henderson
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