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More than 30 legal experts wrote to UEFA on Thursday, asking it to ban Israel and its football clubs from European competitions because of the war in Gaza. They said a UN report found Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians and that over 400 Palestinian footballers have been killed since October 2023. The letter said Israel’s bombing has destroyed Gaza’s football grounds and teams, and that letting Israel play in UEFA events would ignore international law. The experts compared the situation to past bans on South Africa during apartheid and on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. UEFA has not taken action yet, even as fans across Europe show support for Palestine. Football stars like Mohamed Salah have also criticised UEFA for not naming who killed a famous Palestinian player. Amnesty International also wants FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel. How to ban a country from football: Scholars say sports bodies should follow rules and past examples to keep out countries accused of serious crimes. (Updated 3 Oct 2025, 07:53 IST; source: link)