Norwegian Football Association president and former player Lise Klaveness issued a controversial statement last night after the draw that placed Norway and Israel in the same World Cup qualifying group.
“The Norwegian Football Association stands with the Norwegian government in its demand for an immediate end to the disproportionate attacks against innocent civilians in Gaza,” it said in its statement.
“The draw is difficult for us, beyond the purely sporting aspect. None of us can remain indifferent to the disproportionate attacks that Israel has inflicted on the civilian population of Gaza over a long period of time,” continued the president.
Klaveness also noted that Norway is actively participating in calls for sanctions against Israel in the international arena: “Israel is still part of UEFA competitions. We have to deal with this. We are closely monitoring the situation with FIFA, UEFA and the Norwegian authorities.”
The leader highlighted her country’s closeness to Palestinian football: “We are also closer to the region and the Palestinian Football Federation than most other European federations, because we have been working there on the ground for more than 10 years , with coaches creating football activities for children in schools and refugee camps.”
The Israel and Norway teams are scheduled to meet on March 25 and October 11 in World Cup qualifying. The first match in March is a home match for Israel, and the Israeli FA is working to bring the matches back to the country by then, to avoid playing on neutral ground as has been the case since the start of the war.
Norwegians, moreover, are also protesting against the choice of Saudi Arabia as host country for the 2036 World Cup, as they did for Qatar, regarding human rights issues.
Swiss
