Key facts
- MP Iqbal Mohamed has urged the UK government to take action regarding English football's ties to companies allegedly complicit in Israel's occupation and war crimes.
- Mohamed sent a letter to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, calling for an end to sponsorship by firms linked to alleged violations of Palestinian rights.
- A report by War on Want identified 16 companies sponsoring the Premier League, FA, and clubs, with at least ten EPL clubs directly sponsored by these firms.
- The report also detailed instances where Premier League clubs allegedly mistreated pro-Palestinian staff and supporters, potentially breaching freedom of expression rights.
Independent British MP Iqbal Mohamed has called on the UK government to intervene in English football's financial ties to companies allegedly complicit in Israel's occupation and war crimes against Palestinians. In a letter addressed to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, Mohamed expressed concern that major football institutions are being used for 'sportswashing' alleged Israeli atrocities.
Mohamed's appeal is based on a report by the campaign group War on Want, titled 'Red Card: English Premier League Sportswashing of Israel's Atrocities against the Palestinians.' The report claims that at least 16 companies, identified by the UN and other authoritative sources as complicit in alleged Israeli violations of Palestinian rights, are involved in sponsoring the Premier League, the Football Association (FA), and individual clubs. These companies include Alphabet/Google, AXA, BP, Canon, Carlsberg, Cisco, Coca-Cola, Expedia/Hotels.com, Eurobank, Evelyn Partners, HSBC, Meta, Oracle, Sony, and Standard Chartered.
According to Mohamed, at least ten Premier League clubs—Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur—are directly sponsored by these firms. He also noted that Barclays, the EPL's main sponsor, indirectly sponsors every club. The report specifically highlighted Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City, and Manchester United as being most entangled with companies facilitating alleged Israeli atrocities. Arsenal, Fulham, both Manchester clubs, and Newcastle United were also identified as potentially implicated through their owners' activities.
Mohamed urged Nandy to ensure that the Premier League does not serve as a 'profitable safe haven' for companies involved in atrocities. He requested government action to work with football stakeholders to end such sponsorships and advertising as quickly as possible, and to prevent any UK entity from aiding Israel's alleged illegal occupation and apartheid.
Furthermore, the War on Want report indicated that four Premier League clubs—Arsenal, Brighton, Burnley, and Everton—may have mistreated pro-Palestinian staff and supporters, potentially infringing on their right to freedom of expression or amounting to discrimination. The report cited the case of an Arsenal kitman who was dismissed after posting criticisms of Israel online, despite FA and club findings of no antisemitism. War on Want suggested Arsenal prioritized 'prejudiced and racist views' over staff rights.