Amnesty International attacks FIFA over West Bank settlement clubs decision

FIFA has been criticised by Amnesty International after the world governing body declined to take action over Israeli clubs based in settlements in the occupied West Bank competing in domestic competitions.The decision, published on March 19, followed a review by FIFA’s Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee of a complaint submitted by the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) in March 2024.Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s head of economic and social justice, said: “By refusing to take action against clubs based in Israeli settlements, FIFA has failed to enforce its own rules and is blatantly flouting international law. FIFA had a clear opportunity to stand up for Palestinians’ rights and international law – with this decision it has shamefully chosen to abandon both.”FIFA said it should take no action because “the final legal status of the West Bank remains an unresolved and highly complex matter under public international law”.Amnesty said there are at least six clubs based in settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory playing in Israeli leagues, and pointed to Article 64.2 of FIFA’s statutes, which bars member associations and their clubs from playing on another association’s territory without approval.Amnesty also called on FIFA to publish the legal advice it received on the case and provide a fuller rationale for the decision, saying the body should consider the International Court of Justice’s 2024 advisory opinion on Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.The row has been a recurring governance issue for FIFA for close to a decade, with the PFA arguing that settlement clubs should not compete under the Israeli association because Palestinians seek the territory as part of a future state.Separately on March 19, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee fined the Israel Football Association (IFA) CHF150,000 and issued a warning after finding “multiple breaches” of FIFA’s disciplinary code relating to fair play and discrimination.FIFA ordered the IFA to implement a prevention plan, including reforms, monitoring and educational campaigns, and to display a “Football Unites the World – No to Discrimination” banner at its next three A-level home matches under FIFA competition rules.Israel’s football authorities welcomed the decision not to act on the settlement clubs issue, describing the PFA’s efforts as political, while also saying they would intensify work against racism following the disciplinary ruling.