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International Football A coalition of 50 professional athletes, including Crystal Palace midfielder Cheick Doucoure and former Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech, have signed a letter calling on UEFA to suspend Israel from its competitions. The letter argues “sport cannot stand silent while athletes and civilians including children are indiscriminately killed en masse in Gaza”. Advertisement Former Aston Villa forward Anwar El Ghazi — who a German court found was unfairly dismissed by Mainz 05 in November 2023 following a social media post expressing support for Palestinians — former Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy and former Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson are among those from the world of football to have signed the letter, alongside former England cricket captain Moeen Ali, boxer Zak Chelli and jockey Khadijah Mellah. It pays tribute to Suleiman al-Obeid, nicknamed the ‘Palestinian Pele’, who, according to the Palestinian Football Association (PFA), was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in August. “In life, he brought hope through sport; in death, he has become a stark reminder of why the world, and in particular sporting bodies, must act, ” the letter reads. The letter cites a United Nations report from September, which concluded that “the Israeli authorities and Israeli security forces have the genocidal intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip”, an allegation Israel denies. “It is an obligation for sporting bodies to take action against sports teams representing a country which a United Nations commission has concluded is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, ” the letter continues. The letter was coordinated by Nujum Sports, the representative body for Muslim athletes in the UK, and is presented under the banner of Athletes 4 Peace. Nujum Sports said it was approached by “players from across sports, Muslim, non-Muslim, and of no faith, who want to stand together in calling for justice”. The letter concludes: “We call upon UEFA to immediately suspend Israel from all competitions until it complies with international law and ends its killing of civilians and the widespread starvation. “Sport is not neutral in the face of injustice. To remain silent is to accept that the lives of some are worth less than others. We believe in one standard for all nations and all people, justice without double standards. ” Advertisement The letter follows members of the UN’s human rights council in calling for Israel’s suspension from football, while the PFA has done so at the last two FIFA congresses. On Thursday, the administration of U. S. President Donald Trump said it will work to keep Israel from being banned from the 2026 men’s World Cup. Israel’s national and club teams have continued to participate in FIFA and UEFA competitions throughout the conflict in Gaza. UEFA competition matches have not taken place in Israel since the Hamas-led October 7 attacks in 2023, in which 1, 100 people were killed and around 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli officials. More than 60, 000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza following Israel’s ground invasion, according to local health officials. (Photo: Buda Mendes/Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle Ali Rampling is a Deputy News Editor at The Athletic. Prior to joining The Athletic, she worked as the Women's Football Editor at 90min. Ali attended Loughborough University, and originates from Ipswich. Follow Ali on Twitter @Ali Rampling