Former French footballer and Manchester United legend, Eric Cantona has called out the double standard international football organisations FIFA and UEFA are exhibiting in favor of Israel.
Eric Cantona is asking the FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel from all international footballing activities for their war against Palestine in Gaza.
“The time has come to suspend Israel from that privilege. 4 days after Russia started the war in Ukraine, FIFA and UEFA suspended Russia. We’re now 716 days into what the Amnesty has called a ‘Genocide’ and yet Israel continues to be allowed to participate!” said Eric Cantona.
The former Manchester United legend is known for his straight-forwardness even during his active days as a player.
Speaking at the ‘Together for Palestine Benefit’ concert in London recently, Mr Cantona expressed disappointment by the double standard by FIFA and UEFA and called for the immediate suspension of Israel.
“Why, why the double standard? FIFA and UEFA must suspend Israel!”
Mr. Cantona gave the instance in history when Apartheid in South Africa was broken due to sporting boycott for the fact that international football is a form of soft power that countries like to hold on to
“I played for France and Manchester United. I know that International football is more than just sports. It’s cultural, its soft power in a way that a country represents itself on a global stage. We all remember apartheid in South Africa, the sporting boycott played a critical role in ending apartheid in South Africa. So we are power, you are power”.
Since 7th October, 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel, Israel has since retaliated with full force and has promised to defend itself and rescue some kidnapped hostages from Hamas.
Over a 100,000 deaths have been reported, International humanitarian bodies like the United Nations (UN), Amnesty International have raised concerns about a possible ethnic cleansing through direct attack, starvation and other acts of war crimes.
Journalists and humanitarian workers who worked for local and international agencies have lost their lives in the line of work and this has raised global attention to what is happening in Israel.
Eric Cantona is calling on all ‘clubs everywhere to refuse to play against Israel teams’ and asking ‘current players everywhere must refuse to play against Israeli teams’.
