A group of 50 athletes calls for Israel to be banned from UEFA tournaments

Calls to exclude Israel from UEFA competitions are growing louder, and now active athletes are adding their voices to the debate.

Details: A group of 50 professional athletes has signed a letter urging UEFA to ban Israel from participating in its tournaments. The letter states that "sport cannot stand aside when athletes and civilians, including children, are being killed en masse and indiscriminately in Gaza."

Among the signatories are former Aston Villa striker Anwar El Ghazi, ex-Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy, former Chelsea player Hakim Ziyech, and ex-Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson. The letter is also backed by former England cricket captain Moeen Ali, boxer Zak Chelli, and jockey Khadijah Mellah.

Reminder: It was reported that the UEFA Executive Committee will consider the issue this week. However, the top governing body of European football still needs FIFA's approval on the matter. Given the close relationship between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump, who is expected to oppose Israel's suspension, this will be a challenging task.