Israeli soccer team to play in Olympics after FIFA delays decision on potential ban
Sport’s international governing body says ‘more time is needed,’ clearing way for team’s 1st game in Paris on July 24; goalkeeper Daniel Peretz out after tendon injury
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) said Thursday that it had postponed its decision on a Palestinian proposal to suspend Israel from international soccer over the country’s ongoing war against the Hamas terror group.
FIFA’s postponement cleared the way for the Israeli men’s national team to play at the Paris Olympics.
Soccer’s world governing body had been set to make a decision Saturday at an extraordinary council meeting after asking for an independent legal assessment of the Palestinian proposal two months ago.
That decision would have come just four days before the start of the Olympic soccer tournament, where Israel has been drawn in a group with Japan, Mali and Paraguay, and is set to play Mali on July 24.
FIFA said it pushed back the timeline because “more time is needed to conclude this process with due care and completeness” — meaning a decision is now set to come after the Olympics have finished.
FIFA said both parties have made requests for extensions “to submit their respective positions” and that the independent assessment will now be shared with FIFA by August 31 at the latest.
Separately, the Israel Football Association (IFA) announced Thursday that Daniel Peretz, the goalkeeper for Israel’s national team, will miss the Paris Olympics after suffering a muscle tendon injury in his thigh.
Peretz will be out for several weeks and has returned to Munich and his team there, Bayern Munich, said.
“It’s not easy to be this close to realizing your dream and then to hear you won’t be able to experience it, at least not this time,” Peretz said, according to an IFA press release.
“The timing of the injury and the process of recovery demand that I not leave room for doubt, even though I believed things would sort themselves out by some miracle,” he added.
Peretz said he has full faith in his teammates, adding, “I’ll be their biggest fan.”
The 24-year-old joined Bayern last year from Maccabi Tel Aviv and has played twice for the club.
He was one of only three players aged over 23 in Israel’s Olympic squad, alongside Sean Goldberg and Omri Gandelman.
“I’m sorry for Daniel that he’ll be missing the Olympics. I hope he recovers quickly, and I’m sure he’ll have [other] great moments in the blue and white uniform,” said Guy Luzon, the coach of Israel’s national team.
“Daniel is our captain and the beating heart of this team, an excellent athlete and goalkeeper, and a great person above all.
“We will all have to improve and keep moving,” Luzon said, adding, “I have full confidence in the team, and certainly in the goalkeepers.”
The Times of Israel Community.