Turkish football chief rejects Israeli counterpart over Gaza

The president of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu, has confirmed that he has consistently turned down meeting requests from his Israeli counterpart due to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. “The President of the Israeli Football Association repeatedly wanted to meet with me. I did not meet with him, and I will not,” Haciosmanoglu told Anadolu on Tuesday.

Solidarity with Spain and Palestine

Haciosmanoglu noted that Türkiye shares strong friendship with Spain in sports and politics, saying: “When I see the Spanish Football Federation president from afar, I go and hug him. They are also very sensitive about the Palestinian issue. If Israel had participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Spain would have said, ‘We will not participate.’” He added: “Where we need to react, we follow the lead of our President. Just as we support the oppressed, we stand with everyone who suffers from the oppression of the oppressor.”

Call for international ban

Haciosmanoglu recalled that Russia was expelled from all sports organisations within a week, questioning why similar action has not been taken against Israel. “We see the world’s attitude towards these cruel people who eliminate people regardless of religion, language, race, sect, children, women, the elderly, schools, mosques, or churches,” he said. Last September, he sent letters to FIFA, UEFA, and national football federations calling for Israel’s suspension from international sporting events. More than 72,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in Gaza since October 2023.