Manor Solomon, the only Israeli player in La Liga, remained on the Villarreal bench last Saturday. This situation is peculiar considering that he was pursued extensively and was the last signing for the team during the winter transfer window. His contract was finalized at 23:55 on the final day, just five minutes before the transfer window shut. Thus, for the club, he wasn’t just any player.
Moreover, he has a good track record against Real Madrid. While he was at Shakhtar Donetsk, he scored two goals against the Galacticos in the 2020-21 Champions League campaign. One during the first leg and another during the second leg. Perhaps Marcelino, the coach, chose to avoid hostile reactions from the crowd that might negatively impact his team—a recurring narrative in this league with Solomon on the field. He even requested to not be included in the squad last Wednesday for the match against Juventus, which coincided with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the most solemn day on the Jewish calendar.
Upcoming on October 7th, the repercussions of Israel’s response to events that transpired on the same date in 2023 are reverberating through the sports world, manifesting in calls for a complete proscription of the Israeli state. This was prominently initiated following a sabotage incident during the Vuelta due to the participation of the Israel Premier-Tech team.
Historically, there has been a tendency to overlook the actions of wealthy, absolutist monarchies in the Gulf, which today own, organize, and sponsor global sports. Little outrage is directed towards advertising slogans like “Visit Rwanda” or “RD Congo, cœur de l’Afrique,” countries that grapple with human rights issues but are marketed predominantly for tourism. China usually escapes censure as well. More scrutiny is applied to Russia, whose exclusion from all competitions is cited by advocates calling for similar treatment for Israel.
However, equating Russia and Israel is misleading. Russia is a sovereign nation with established borders and global diplomatic and trade relationships. It is recognized as an international legal and political entity that, without provocation, invaded another country of similar sovereignty and recognition. It is an aggressor state. In contrast, Israel is an aggrieved country. Influential organizations like the IOC, FIFA, and UCI share this understanding.
Sports emerged as a realm of innocence, purity, idealism, and neutrality. Yet, it was swiftly manipulated, either crudely or subtly, by those who recognized its sociological significance and, by extension, its political ramifications. For instance, Morocco, another of those feudal Arab monarchies, seeks to capitalize on the 2030 World Cup for propaganda purposes.
Amidst the considerable funding allocated for sports initiatives, the construction of a massive stadium in Casablanca has fueled public discontent, especially among Morocco’s youth, who feel heavily underrepresented. The so-called Generation Z, those born between 1995 and 2010, make up the most significant demographic in the country, and they are rising with shouts of “fewer World Cups, more hospitals!” They desire not to be forced to risk their lives in overcrowded boats across the Mediterranean.