“Sports contact with any country practising apartheid in sports condones and strengthens apartheid” – International Convention Against Apartheid in Sports
ON JUNE 22, UEFA President Michel Platini received a letter signed by 42 football clubs and dozens of team captains, managers and sports personalities in Gaza, demanding that European football’s governing body reverse its decision to allow Israel to host the 2013 international under-21 tournament. The current tournament is drawing to a close in Denmark on June 25.
“If this tournament goes ahead as planned, football fans from all over Europe and beyond will be given the impression that Israel is a country like any other, rather than one that practices a unique combination of occupation, colonization and apartheid against the indigenous Palestinian population” the letter argues, before going on to detail the ways in which Israeli Apartheid impacts Palestinian sport.
View the letter in full at http://www.bdsmovement.net/2011/letter-to-platini-7377
Now it”s up to us to send a clear message to UEFA that its decision to reward Israel for its violations of international law won”t be tolerated.
TAKE ACTION:
* Distribute and post the letter from Gaza
* Write to UEFA President Michel Platini using the simple e-tool at http://psc.iparl.com/lobby/63
* Join and share the campaign Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/red.card.israeli.apartheid
* Tell UEFA what you think of their support for Israeli Apartheid via their Twitter (@UEFAcom) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/uefacom). Example messages include:
@UEFAcom Allowing Israel to host 2013 U21 tournament supports #apartheid #redcardapartheid #bds
Tell @UEFAcom it shouldn”t score own goal by whitewashing apartheid #bds #redcardapartheid
@UEFAcom says respect is principle of football, so will it respect Palestinian #bds call? #redcardapartheid
* Circulate the letter and this call to all of your contacts and groups
* Write to your local Football association, players, clubs and fanzines about the campaign
See http://www.bdsmovement.net/2011/red-card-israeli-apartheid-7381 for the campaign launch press release
