ISTANBUL: Turkiye on Friday became the first UEFA member to publicly call for Israel to be suspended from soccer, calling the situation in Gaza “inhumane and unacceptable.”
Turkish Football Federation president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu’s letter to international soccer leaders came as European body UEFA moves toward a vote to suspend Israel, whose men’s team is in the middle of qualifying for next year’s World Cup.
“It is now time for FIFA and UEFA to act,” Haciosmanoglu wrote in the letter quoted by the Anadolu news agency.
“Despite positioning themselves as defenders of civic values and peace, the sporting world and football institutions have remained silent for far too long,” the Turkish official said.
Haciosmanoglu is not on the 20-member UEFA ruling committee, which is expected to have a majority to exclude Israel if a vote is called. The committee includes Israel soccer leader Moshe Zuares, who was elected in April.
The head of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, is closely aligned with 2026 World Cup co-host the United States and President Donald Trump so is seen as unlikely to back a move to suspend Israel.
The US State Department said on Thursday it will work to stop any efforts aiming to ban Israel’s team from the World Cup.
Infantino chairs a meeting of FIFA’s ruling council next Thursday in Zurich.
Norway hosts Israel in a World Cup qualifier in Oslo on Oct. 11 and Italy is due to play Israel in Udine three days later. The Norwegian soccer federation has promised to give its profits on ticket sales to Doctors Without Borders for humanitarian work in Gaza.
FIFA didn’t immediately return requests seeking comment on Friday.
Pressure on international sports to act against Israel has grown this month after days of chaos at the Spanish Vuelta cycle race — which led Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to call for a sporting ban on Israel — a Sept. 9 airstrike by Israel targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar’s capital Doha, and a United Nations Human Rights Council-appointed inquiry accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
Haciosmanoglu said the situation in Gaza was now more urgent and “football has always been far more than a sport.”
“It is a universal language that brings together different cultures, fosters friendship, and strengthens the bonds of solidarity among peoples,” he wrote. “Guided by these values, we feel compelled to raise our deep concern regarding the unlawful (and more importantly, completely inhumane and unacceptable) situation being carried out by the State of Israel in Gaza and its surrounding areas.”
Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July called Israel a “terrorist state” for its actions in Syria and a destabilizing force in the region.
Israel has qualified for only one men’s World Cup, in 1970, when it advanced by playing against Australia and New Zealand in a section involving teams in Asia not from the Middle East. Israel was exiled from Asian soccer a few years later and has been a full member of UEFA since 1994.
Turkish soccer leader urges FIFA, UEFA to suspend Israel
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Turkish soccer leader urges FIFA, UEFA to suspend Israel
- Turkish Football Federation President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu says sporting world and football institutions have remained silent for far too long
- European soccer’s governing body appears poised for an emergency vote next week on suspending Israel from competitions
Pakistan legend Akram hails ‘incredible’ Starc after Ashes heroics
- Australia’s Mitchell Starc surpassed Akram’s tally of 414 test wickets during Brisbane match against England
- Akram says despite being 35, Starc can “go on and on” due to his passion for cricket and fiery pace bowling
KARACHI: Legendary Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram believes even more is to come from Australia’s “incredible” veteran Ashes wrecking ball Mitchell Starc.
Akram was reacting to Starc surpassing his tally of 414 wickets during the Brisbane Test against England on Thursday, becoming the leading left-arm pace bowler of all time.
“Congratulations to Starc on passing my tally of wickets,” Akram told AFP, saying that the 35-year-old’s passion and commitment helped set him apart.
“Starc has shown a great amount of dedication and focus in these times of too much cricket, having T20 leagues with big money coming your way.
“He did play T20 leagues but then decided to play more Tests and left the shorter format because he wanted to be remembered as one of the best in the world in the history of the game.
“Ten years down the line, if anyone decides to have an all-time Test team, then Starc will be named in that team for sure.”
Despite trumping Akram, Starc described the Pakistan great as the “pinnacle.”
“Wasim’s still a far better bowler than I am,” Starc said on Thursday.
Akram dismissed the debate over who is the greatest.
“It is difficult to compare both of us because we are from different eras,” he said. “People say that I played on placid tracks and he played on bouncy Aussie tracks, so that was different.
“But nowadays batters have a different mindset and they play aggressive shots even on good balls, so that makes wicket-taking a more difficult art.”
Akram said he believed Starc’s passion could take him further.
“He is 35 and his pace is still there and passion remains at its peak. He has been incredible as a fast bowler and is enjoying fast bowling, so can go on and on.”
