FIFA declines to sanction Israeli clubs in settlements, Amnesty slams inaction
FIFA has refused to sanction clubs based in Israeli settlements participating in domestic leagues, drawing sharp criticism from Amnesty International. The human rights group accused FIFA of violating its own statutes and international law by failing to act against the Israel Football Association despite a complaint from the Palestinian FA. Amnesty's Steve Cockburn stated FIFA had a clear opportunity to uphold Palestinians' rights but chose to abandon both international law and its own rules. Legal concerns center on FIFA's Article 64.2, which prohibits clubs from playing in another association's territory without permission. Amnesty argues this legitimizes Israel's unlawful occupation and associated human rights violations, including apartheid. FIFA cited the 'highly complex' legal status of the West Bank as justification for inaction, despite previous sanctions against the Israel FA for anti-discrimination breaches. Amnesty also called for transparency in FIFA's decision-making process and condemned potential indirect contributions to settlement expansion through funding. The dispute highlights growing tensions between global sports governance and geopolitical issues.