No action against players for showing Palestine support
LEICESTER CITY players Hamza Choudhury and Wesley Fofana will not face disciplinary action after they showed support for Palestinians after winning the FA Cup final last Saturday (15).
English midfielder Choudhury and French defender Fofana were seen holding a Palestinian flag.
Choudhury had the flag draped over his shoulders as he collected his winner’s medal after his team beat Chelsea 1-0.
An official complaint about their behaviour was made to Leicester City and the Football Association (FA) by Action Against Discrimination. It said: “Sport, and in this case football, must never be used as a platform for either politics or racism.”
However, the FA does not usually investigate the general use of flags on the field of play or in the stadium.
A social media post from Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny also showing his support for the Palestinian people has been hit by a backlash from Jewish fans.
The Egyptian posted on his Twitter account: “My heart and my soul and my support for you Palestine.”
Arsenal confirmed to Sky Sports that they have spoken to Elneny after concerns about the post were raised by one of the club’s sponsors, coffee maker Lavazza.
“As with any employees of
Arsenal, our players are entitled to express their views on their own platforms,” the club told Sky Sports News.
“That said, we have spoken to Mo about this so he understands the wider implications of his post.
“As a club, we are committed to confronting and eliminating all forms of discrimination and continue to champion the need for equality and diversity across all areas of life.”
Thousands of protesters marched in support of Palestinians last Saturday in major European cities including London, Berlin, Madrid and Paris, as the worst violence in years raged between Israel and militants in Gaza.