By Mark McCadden

Copyright irishmirror

The FAI has promised to deliver a “considered response” to a letter from the Irish Football Supporters Partnership (IFSP) and the Professional Footballers’ Association of Ireland (PFA Ireland) by Friday September 19

The two organisations, representing Irish football supporters and players, have written to the Association, urging the governing body to help bring about the suspension of Israel teams from UEFA competitions.

The IFSP includes the Confederation of Republic of Ireland Supporters Clubs, the Irish Supporters Network and YBIG Mandate, while the PFA Ireland is the professional footballers’ union.

In their letter, they reference FAI president Paul Cooke’s comments in front of the Public Accounts Committee in February of last year, when he expressed the board’s revulsion on “a personal and human level” at the acts committed by Israel in Gaza.

It also notes the “indiscriminate killing of counterparts within Gaza, the most recent killing of Sulaiman Al-Obaid, the ‘Palestinian Pele’, being only the latest outrage to gain attention.”

There is a reminder that UEFA and FIFA have suspended Russia over the Ukraine war, South Africa during Apartheid, and Yugoslavia after the outbreak of the Yugoslav wars.

The FAI is asked to “clarify what steps you have taken thus far, or will be taking in the future, to discuss the matter at a UEFA level.”

Below is their letter in full:

Dear President Cooke,

We, the undersigned, wish to urgently express our concern at the situation in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and the connected issue of the continued participation in UEFA competitions of Israel.

We would note your remarks from the Public Accounts Committee in February of last year, where you expressed the FAI board’s revulsion on “a personal and human level”. Since then, the humanitarian situation has deteriorated, with 2,203 Palestinians killed by the Israeli Defence Forces whilst seeking food since May 27th, 2025, the risk of starvation and famine rising rapidly as a direct result of the withholding of aid.

This is of course in addition to the unacceptably high civilian death toll and destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure over the past 22 months. What is especially upsetting to many football fans, players, and people involved in the game is the indiscriminate killing of counterparts within Gaza, the most recent killing of Sulaiman Al-Obaid, the “Palestinian Pele” being only the latest outrage to gain attention.

If we all belong to a “football family”, we have a duty to defend our colleagues and friends from death and starvation. Despite these deliberate actions, Israeli club and national teams continue to compete internationally in UEFA competitions.

There are numerous precedents for suspension, from Russia in 2022, to South Africa under Apartheid, to Yugoslavia in 1992. Additionally, national associations are regularly suspended for administrative reasons or due to political interference. Participation in international sporting competitions is a privilege, not an unqualified right.

We are compelled to ask how far the Israeli state can continue to go, how many international laws it must violate, how many outrages it can commit, before it faces sanction.

Football cannot act as a bridge towards peace in a time of genocide and ethnic cleansing, when so many of those in the game who would be peacemakers and unifiers are being killed or injured. There will be no peace without justice first, and the suspension of Israeli teams until a lasting ceasefire and co-operation with humanitarian aid organisations is achieved is that justice.

The time to act is now well overdue, and the FAI must take the lead along with supportive partner federations to bring the suspension of Israeli teams from competition to the relevant forums within UEFA. You said in February 2024 that this is a matter for UEFA. UEFA is accountable to its members, and in turn you are accountable to the FAI’s members. We would ask you to:

– Clarify what steps you have taken thus far, or will be taking in the future, to discuss the matter at a UEFA level

– Outline the appropriate forums within UEFA to raise this matter

– Commit to contacting supportive partner federations, and raise the issue collectively within UEFA

We look forward to hearing from you as soon as practicable.

In response to Niamh O’Mahony, a former FAI board member and current chair of the IFSP, FAI president Cooke wrote on September 5 that “given the importance and seriousness of the matters outlined, we will take the necessary time to review your email in detail and will provide you with a considered response within 10 working days.”

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