Israel FA chiefs welcome FIFA decision not to pursue suspension call

Israel Football Association (IFA) officials have welcomed FIFA’s decision not to take action on requests to suspend them over clubs allegedly playing in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) asked FIFA to act ahead of the 2024 FIFA Congress, arguing that teams based in settlements were taking part in IFA-authorised competitions.FIFA referred the matter to its Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee, which recommended no action, citing the unresolved legal status of the West Bank under public international law, and the FIFA Council adopted that recommendation.Shlomi Barzel, the IFA’s head of communications, said: “We are constantly working in various ways to repel time and time again desperate attempts to harm Israeli football for political reasons."This will not stop, but there are those who listened to us with a willing heart and understood very well that they should not fall into this trap.”The governance decision preserves the IFA’s standing within FIFA and avoids disruption to international fixtures and federation operations, but it came alongside a separate disciplinary ruling that imposes compliance and reputational obligations.FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee sanctioned the IFA for “multiple breaches” of the FIFA Disciplinary Code relating to offensive behaviour, violations of fair play principles, and discrimination and racist abuse.The disciplinary panel fined the IFA CHF150,000, issued a warning, and ordered the federation to implement a prevention plan aimed at tackling discrimination and preventing repeated incidents.As part of the measures, FIFA ordered the IFA to display a prominent “Football Unites the World – No to Discrimination” banner alongside the IFA logo at its next three A-level FIFA competition home matches, with the banner’s size and placement submitted for FIFA approval 15 days before each match.FIFA also required the IFA to invest one third of the fine within 60 days into a comprehensive plan covering reforms, protocols, monitoring and educational campaigns in stadiums and on official channels for an entire season, subject to FIFA approval, with the remainder of the fine due within 30 days.Barzel said the IFA and clubs were already intensifying action against racism, describing it as a “sickening scourge”.FIFA said the disciplinary decision remains subject to a potential appeal to the FIFA Appeal Committee.