Occupied Quds -Saba:
The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) expressed its deep concern over the series of violent incidents in the Dutch city of Amsterdam, which began with incitement to violence and anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim racism by fans of an Israeli team, who attacked homes and shops that raised the flag of Palestine in solidarity with the victims of the ongoing genocide, the PFA said in a statement quoted by the Palestinian news agency WAFA last night.
In a statement quoted by the Palestinian news agency Wafa last night, the federation said it had ‘presented FIFA with extensive evidence of this systematic racism, yet tangible action remains absent. As we pointed out in our recent proposal to the FIFA Congress, FIFA is currently unable to guarantee the safety and security of fans at matches involving Israeli teams.
The recent incident in Greece, where an Arab man was beaten unconscious by a group of Israeli fans, illustrates the urgent need for intervention.
‘The lack of accountability for systematic violence and the continued normalisation of racism has led to more unfortunate incidents like the one in Amsterdam. Violence and hatred in all its forms has no place in sport.’
He emphasised: ‘We are deeply concerned about attempts to exploit such events to silence pro-Palestinian voices and ban the display of Palestinian symbols, and that such actions are discriminatory and unacceptable.’
The PFA called on UEFA and FIFA to ‘address the normalisation of genocidal, racist, Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian rhetoric among Israeli football fans, and to implement concrete measures to counter this hostility.’
| more of (Press) |