The European Union's sports commissioner has hinted at support for a BDS-style boycott of Israeli athletes in European sports due to the war in Gaza in an interview with Politico.
“When it comes to sports, I think there should be no space in sporting events for those who do not share our values,” European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef told the outlet in response to a question about whether Israel should face sporting sanctions over the war.
“These spaces are big stages for political messages, big stages where we should promote values that we stand for in the Union, and where we should give space to those who have similar values to us in general,” said Micallef, who is from Malta.
He was responding to a question that referenced Spanish President Pedro Sánchez's recent call to ban Israel from participating from the Eurovision Song Contest over its military actions in Gaza.
