There could be no better proof of the failure of the boycott movement than the revelation that it has been reduced to lying about celebrity endorsements. Earlier this week there was a media flurry about apparent support by footballers such as Didier Drogba for a statement calling on UEFA to remove next year’s European Under-21 Championship from Israel. But it soon emerged that the boycott campaigners had made up the claim that some of the footballers — including Mr Drogba, the lynchpin of the publicity — supported the statement. Such behaviour should surprise no-one from a campaign built on lies and hatred.