FIFA and UEFA Presidents Accused of Aiding War Crimes
Jakarta (ANTARA) - FIFA President Gianni Infantino and UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin have been accused of aiding war crimes and crimes against humanity in the occupied Palestinian territories, in a complaint filed with the International Criminal Court (ICC), The Athletic reported on Friday.
The formal complaint is contained in a 120-page document submitted by the advocacy groups Irish Sport for Palestine, Scottish Sport for Palestine, Just Peace Advocates, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, and Sport Scholars for Justice in Palestine. The document was sent to the ICC Office of the Prosecutor on 16 February.
According to a joint statement released by the complainants, the filing also includes a group of Palestinian footballers, Palestinian clubs, landowners, and a Palestinian human rights organisation.
The accusations focus on the participation of Israeli football clubs based in illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, built on land seized from the Palestinian people.
"FIFA and UEFA have allowed these clubs to play in leagues organised by the Israel Football Association and to hold matches on confiscated land," the statement read.
"They have also provided financial and structural support to settlement clubs, some of which have competed in UEFA-organised competitions."
Israel rejects claims by the United Nations and the International Court of Justice that all Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank violate international law, as reported by The New York Times.
FIFA, as the global governing body of football, and UEFA, as the European football body, had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
The ICC, an international court based in The Hague, Netherlands, investigates and prosecutes individuals accused of crimes against humanity, including war crimes, genocide, and crimes of aggression.
Individuals deemed responsible for the actions and policies of their organisations can be brought before the ICC as defendants, although the organisations themselves cannot be prosecuted.
Last October, Amnesty International sent an open letter to FIFA and UEFA urging them to suspend the Israel Football Association until clubs from settlements in the Palestinian territories were removed from its leagues.
The letter also stated that football cannot be separated from Israel's unlawful occupation.
As previously reported by The Athletic, UEFA had considered holding a vote on the continuation of Israel's participation in European football in late September, but ultimately postponed the move after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, mediated by the United States, was reached on 29 September.
The ICC Office of the Prosecutor will now conduct a preliminary examination to determine whether the complaint can proceed to a formal investigation based on the legal arguments presented.
The formal complaint is contained in a 120-page document submitted by the advocacy groups Irish Sport for Palestine, Scottish Sport for Palestine, Just Peace Advocates, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, and Sport Scholars for Justice in Palestine. The document was sent to the ICC Office of the Prosecutor on 16 February.
According to a joint statement released by the complainants, the filing also includes a group of Palestinian footballers, Palestinian clubs, landowners, and a Palestinian human rights organisation.
The accusations focus on the participation of Israeli football clubs based in illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, built on land seized from the Palestinian people.
"FIFA and UEFA have allowed these clubs to play in leagues organised by the Israel Football Association and to hold matches on confiscated land," the statement read.
"They have also provided financial and structural support to settlement clubs, some of which have competed in UEFA-organised competitions."
Israel rejects claims by the United Nations and the International Court of Justice that all Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank violate international law, as reported by The New York Times.
FIFA, as the global governing body of football, and UEFA, as the European football body, had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
The ICC, an international court based in The Hague, Netherlands, investigates and prosecutes individuals accused of crimes against humanity, including war crimes, genocide, and crimes of aggression.
Individuals deemed responsible for the actions and policies of their organisations can be brought before the ICC as defendants, although the organisations themselves cannot be prosecuted.
Last October, Amnesty International sent an open letter to FIFA and UEFA urging them to suspend the Israel Football Association until clubs from settlements in the Palestinian territories were removed from its leagues.
The letter also stated that football cannot be separated from Israel's unlawful occupation.
As previously reported by The Athletic, UEFA had considered holding a vote on the continuation of Israel's participation in European football in late September, but ultimately postponed the move after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, mediated by the United States, was reached on 29 September.
The ICC Office of the Prosecutor will now conduct a preliminary examination to determine whether the complaint can proceed to a formal investigation based on the legal arguments presented.