UEFA Chief Defends Israel’s Participation in European Games

(MENAFN) UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has acknowledged the contentious issue surrounding Israeli clubs and national teams participating in European competitions during the ongoing Gaza conflict, calling it “a legitimate question.” However, he firmly defended UEFA’s current position allowing their continued involvement.

In a Thursday interview with Slovenian media, Ceferin expressed his general opposition to banning athletes from competitions, drawing parallels to the extended suspension of Russian teams.

“This is a legitimate question. In principle, I am not an advocate of not allowing athletes to compete in competitions,” he stated.

Ceferin further highlighted the complexity of the situation, noting, “We see that athletes have not competed for three and a half years and the war is even worse than it was. I know that many are opponents of the regime, but they still cannot play.”

He acknowledged the deep connection between sport and politics in Israel’s case but emphasized UEFA’s current policy stance remains firm.

“For now, that’s our decision. It’s very difficult for me to comment on what could happen. But in principle, I think that all athletes should have the opportunity to compete and that other things should be handled differently,” Ceferin explained.

Responding to a recent controversy where Slovenian volleyball players refused to shake hands with Israeli opponents after a European Championship qualifier, Ceferin remarked: “It is difficult for me to comment on their decision, but on a principled level I can say that I do not like it when athletes do not shake hands with each other.”

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