A group of 48 athletes, including France’s World Cup winner Paul Pogba and England cricketer Moeen Ali, have signed a statement demanding Israel’s suspension from international football over its assault on Palestinians in Gaza.
The declaration, issued under the banner Athletes 4 Peace, says: “As professional athletes of diverse backgrounds, faiths, and beliefs, we believe sport must uphold the principles of justice, fairness, and humanity.”
The athletes urged UEFA to act, calling for Israel’s immediate ban from all competitions until it respects international law and halts what they described as the killing of civilians and the deliberate starvation of Gaza’s population.
The statement also pointed to last month’s killing of Suleiman al-Obeid – widely known as the “Palestinian Pele” – who, according to the Palestine Football Association, died when Israeli forces attacked civilians waiting for food aid in southern Gaza.
