The Palestine Football Association has accused FIFA of inaction over Israel’s war on Gaza, saying more than 1,013 players, coaches, referees and other football community members have been killed.
In a statement issued Monday, the PFA said the global governing body has repeatedly delayed enforcing its own regulations while Palestinian football has suffered widespread destruction. It reported that stadiums, training grounds and other facilities across Gaza have been hit, severely disrupting the sport.
The association also renewed criticism of FIFA over Israeli settlement clubs playing in the occupied Palestinian territory. According to the PFA, formal complaints on the issue have been pending for more than 15 years despite repeated calls for FIFA to apply its statutes and disciplinary rules.
“Silence, when atrocity is being committed live, amounts to complicity,” the PFA said. It added that Palestinian football “can no longer afford promises in place of action.”
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The PFA said the mounting death toll includes people at all levels of the game, from youth players to senior officials, and that the losses have gutted clubs, leagues and national programs.
FIFA had not responded to the statement at the time of publication.
