A-Infos (en) France, UCL AL #366 - International - Anti-colonialism: The Struggle for Palestine is Also Played Out in Sport (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

In recent months, we have seen numerous demonstrations of support for 
the Palestinian people in sporting competitions. This is a way of 
amplifying voices that are too often silenced elsewhere. ---- The 
struggle against the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza is primarily 
carried out through concrete actions such as strikes, demonstrations, 
blockades of arms shipments (as seen in Marseille and Italy), and the 
Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. It is also 
taking place in a sector that at first glance seems more trivial: sport.

Indeed, for years, but with a significant increase since 2023, sport has 
become an important tool both for the fight against genocide and for 
propaganda purposes for Israel. Sport is political; it always has 
been[1], and its instrumentalization is inherent to its very existence. 
It is therefore not surprising that this is also one of the battlegrounds.

While Russian teams and athletes can no longer compete under the Russian 
flag or are banned from almost all official global sporting competitions 
as of 2022, following the start of the war in Ukraine, Israel and its 
athletes have not received the same treatment. It wasn't until 2025 that 
FIFA and UEFA, which respectively govern world and European football, 
began to address the issue and continue to postpone a vote. Even the 
assassination by the Israeli army of the "Palestinian Pelé," Suleiman 
Obeid, while he was waiting for humanitarian aid, will change nothing. 
For now, sporting institutions refuse to ban Israel, even though it is 
committing genocide before our very eyes. This would be the very least 
they could do.

For Israel, sport is a powerful tool of propaganda. Its athletes 
continually reaffirm their support for the country and contribute to 
improving its image. Israeli fans use stadiums to chant anti-Palestinian 
slogans, attack Muslims, or tear down any Palestinian flag or symbol in 
the cities they visit. This is how clashes occurred in Amsterdam in 
November 2024 with Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters after the latter's 
violent behavior, including assaults. Israel and its allies immediately 
tried to portray the response as antisemitic, far removed from the 
reality of the situation. In October 2025, these same fans were banned 
from attending another match in Birmingham. The false accusations of 
antisemitism resurfaced, even prompting support for the Israeli club 
from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who denounced his own authorities.

Demonstration against the presence of an Israeli cycling team in the 
2025 Vuelta a España.

Nevertheless, the struggle continues. And the world of sport is also 
being targeted by pro-Palestinian activists. The final stage of the 
Vuelta 2025 in Spain[2]was canceled following massive protests against 
the presence of an Israeli cycling team. In Italy, every match of the 
national football team has been met with boycotts and demonstrations. 
And in France, the France-Israel match resulted in the lowest attendance 
ever recorded at the Stade de France[3]. Initiatives are multiplying to 
counter Israeli propaganda on this front and call for an end to the 
genocide. Mobilization must continue at all levels, and sport must not 
be left behind, to avoid being sidelined.

Sano (UCL Marseille)

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[1]See "Paris Olympic Games: Propaganda, Ableism and Big Capital," 
Alternative libertaire no. 352, September 2024.

[2]The Spanish equivalent of the Tour de France.

[3]16,611 spectators for 80,000 seats.

https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Anti-colonialisme-La-lutte-pour-la-Palestine-se-joue-aussi-dans-le-sport
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