The empty stadium illusion: Why banning Israeli fans is not enough

The stadium is empty, but Israel is still in the game. Though any form of isolation of those responsible for genocide is welcome, the growing movement for a sports boycott of Israel has yet to translate solidarity into meaningful sporting isolation. Two recent developments illustrate this contradiction. The first is the decision by Alkmaar, a Dutch city north of Amsterdam, to bar visiting supporters of Israeli football club Hapoel Be’er Sheva from attending its 15th October Europa League match against AZ Alkmaar at the AFAS Stadium. The decision followed the violence surrounding the November 2024 Ajax–Maccabi Tel Aviv match in Amsterdam, when Israeli supporters were filmed chanting racist slogans, tearing down Palestinian flags and confronting local residents. Such behaviour is […]