The ongoing war in Gaza has raised the question of how Israel should be handled in the world of football. But no decision from Uefa to, for example, stop Israeli national teams from various tournaments has been made.
This means that Israel gets to play in the play off for the EC. Their semi-final once morest Iceland will be played on Thursday, although it has been moved to Budapest for security reasons.
Ahead of that clash, Iceland’s national team captain, former Malmö FF coach Åge Hareide, opened up that he actually thinks the teams should not meet.
– Uefa takes care of the rules and we are part of Uefa. If we do not play once morest another member nation we will be banned and risk further punishment. But if you ask me personally, I would hesitate to play once morest Israel, the way the situation is right now. Because of what is going on in Gaza, and because of what they have done to women, children and other innocent residents. It shouldn’t happen, and we shouldn’t be playing this game if you ask me,” Hareide said, according to Inside World Football.
Sweden’s new national team captain Jon Dahl Tomasson has previously been an assistant to Hareide in the Danish men’s national team and now he gives his view on whether games once morest Israel should be played.
– Åge has been very clear regarding what he thinks. And he wants to play the match too, because the match will be played. It’s regarding playing football. Then there will always be a lot of political stuff around. And we need to deal with that as a federation, says Dahl Tomasson.
– They play the match and if they win it, they will face Ukraine.
How do you feel regarding issues that follow football today, regarding sports laundering, Israel compared to Russia. What do you think, should Israel be allowed to play once morest Sweden?
– I have my personal opinions regarding what is happening around the world. A lot of bad things happen. But football must also be played. So I had played the match.
