Italian coaches' association urges national team to boycott matches against Israel
Kenley Ward
Dailysports's expert
A highly controversial situation.
Details: Today, the Italian Coaches' Association sent an official letter to the Italian Football Federation, calling for a boycott of the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Israel:
"Can what is happening in the Gaza Strip, with severe consequences for the West Bank and Lebanon, simply be counted among the 56 active conflicts in the world, all deserving the same attention and response? The terrorist attack committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which took the lives of more than a thousand innocent Israelis and involved the capture of 250 hostages—can this justify the brutal genocide by Israel that has resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian civilian casualties and even talk of their deportation?" said Renzo Ulivieri, head of the Italian Coaches' Association.
The Italian national team will face Estonia on September 5, and just three days later, the Azzurri will play against Israel. At the moment, Italy sits third in their group, leaving them outside the World Cup qualification zone, making the upcoming matches potentially decisive for the entire campaign.
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