PACBI criticizes FIFA’s silence regarding the targeting of Palestinian athletes

RAMALLAH, June 13 (YPA) – The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) announced the martyrdom of more than 1,000 Palestinian athletes since the start of the war on Gaza, in addition to the killing of Lebanese athletes in raids on Lebanon.

The campaign explained that the number of martyrs from the Palestinian sports community reached 1,007, including 566 football players, equivalent to 25 complete teams, and that 265 sports facilities were destroyed.

The campaign criticized FIFA’s silence regarding the martyrdom of athletes and the targeting of facilities in Gaza and Lebanon, considering that the absence of any clear measures or positions against Israel raises questions about the federation’s standards in dealing with conflicts.

It emphasized that targeting athletes in their homes or during conflict and the international institutions’ disregard for their suffering exacerbates the humanitarian tragedy.

It is worth noting that PACBI is the academic and cultural arm of the BDS movement for boycotting, divesting from, and sanctioning Israel.