Italian Coaches’ Association calls for Israeli international suspension

   The Italian Football Coaches’ Association (AIAC) believes “football must take action” on Israel as the war in Gaza continues, suggesting that the country should be banned from the international game.

Italy is due to face Israel in World Cup qualifiers home and away in September and October, but the AIAC has wrote a letter to the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) calling for Israel’s suspension from the world stage.

“The AIAC Board of Directors unanimously believes that, given the daily massacres, which have also resulted in hundreds of deaths among managers, coaches, and athletes – it is legitimate, necessary, indeed a duty, to place at the centre of federation talks the request, to be submitted to UEFA and FIFA, for the temporary exclusion of Israel from sporting competitions,” the letter reads.

“Because the pain of the past cannot cloud anyone’s conscience and humanity.”

The Italians will play Israel on neutral turf in Debrecen, Hungary on September 8 before staging the return match in Udine on October 14. Last year, Italy-Israel in the Nations League prompted protests before and during the match amid heightened security.

“The world is in flames. Many people like the Palestinians are suffering,” said AIAC Vice President Francesco Perondi. “Indifference is unacceptable.”

The AIAC’s call follows the news that the Norwegian FA (NFF) will donate the profits from its upcoming World Cup qualifier against Israel to emergency relief efforts in Gaza – which brought a furious reply from its Israeli counterparts (IFA).