Following Boycott Pressure, Uruguayan National Football Team Cancels Trip to Israel
By Palestine Chronicle Staff
Pro-Palestine activists in Uruguay celebrated a major victory on Wednesday as their country’s football team officially announced that they were not going to play in Israel as was previously scheduled.
In a statement, a copy of which was sent to The Palestine Chronicle, the Uruguayan group, Coordinación por Palestina (Coordination for Palestine), said that Uruguay’s Football Association (AUF) announced that it is not going to Israel following intense pressure.
“In these months, the AUF received four letters from Palestinian football clubs and associations, explaining the continuous and serious aggressions that Israel commits against Palestinian football and sports,” the group said.
Good News!
Uruguay’s national football team will NOT be playing in Apartheid Israel.
This comes following a campaign calling on AUF (Uruguay Football Association) not to break the Israel sports boycott#Africa4Palestine salutes Coordinación por Palestina all Uruguayan orgs👏 pic.twitter.com/wiTXHWHFbl
— #Africa4Palestine (@Africa4Pal) October 12, 2022
The many messages sent to the AUF included a letter from a former coach of the Palestinian national football team, from musician Roger Waters, along with several Palestinian intellectuals, including The Palestine Chronicle editor and author Dr. Ramzy Baroud.
“We are deeply grateful for all the solidarity and support received from so many territories and people,” the group concluded.
(The Palestine Chronicle)