Global Institutions Hesitate on Israel
(MENAFN) When the conflict between Russia and Ukraine erupted in 2022, major international organizations in the realms of sports and culture reacted with remarkable speed. Within a matter of days, FIFA and UEFA excluded Russian teams from competitions, while the Eurovision Song Contest went as far as to ban Russia from participating entirely.
At that moment, officials justified their decisions as a collective commitment to defend globally accepted principles.
Fast forward two years, and a United Nations panel has determined that Israel is engaging in acts of genocide in Gaza. However, the same global institutions that were quick to act on Russia are now proceeding with caution.
Decisions on whether to suspend Israel from international football events or the Eurovision contest have been postponed. Official explanations cite the "current situation in the Middle East" and align with ongoing diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire.
This shift in tone has drawn criticism from Alexandra Xanthaki, the UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights, who sees the delayed action as a sign of troubling inconsistency.
"We cannot continue business as usual and sports cannot pretend that they don't have to take a position. When we talk about the genocide in Gaza, we do not refer to geopolitics. We refer to one of the very few values we have all agreed as humanity to respect,” Xanthaki told a news agency.
Her remarks highlight a stark contrast to the stance of FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
He recently asserted that "FIFA cannot solve geopolitical problems," instead emphasizing the organization's mission to "promote football around the world by harnessing its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values."
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