Dozens of athletes have joined rights groups in calling for the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to suspend Israel due to rights abuses against Palestinians.In a letter delivered to UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin on Tuesday, Athletes for Peace, a group that includes more than 70 sports professionals, backed a call for the governing body to sever ties with the Israel Football Association (IFA).Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list“No shared venue, stage, or arena in international civil society should welcome a regime that commits genocide, apartheid, and other crimes against humanity,” the letter, penned by Game Over Israel, read.“Israel’s continued impunity for such crimes will only be ended by the weight of collective conscientious action, including measures to block their entry to sporting or cultural events and activities.”The athletes who endorsed the call include French World Cup winner Paul Pogba, Dutch forward Anwar El Ghazi, Moroccan player Hakim Ziyech and Spanish winger Adama Traore.Human rights advocacy groups, including the Hind Rajab Foundation and the Gaza Tribunal, also signed the letter.The petition marks a continuation of a campaign demanding that UEFA ban Israel from its events, citing atrocities committed during its war on Gaza.In September, Turkish Football Federation president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu also backed the call for suspending Israel from European football. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) passed a similar resolution earlier this month.Although a United States-bro …
