Former Sweden women’s national team goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl has called for a sports boycott of Israel, arguing that the country’s youth teams should be barred from international competition in the same manner as Russia due to the war in Gaza, Aftonbladet reported.
Borås Arena Qualifier Triggers Public Debate
The controversy centers on an upcoming European U17 women’s football qualifying match between Sweden and Israel scheduled for October at Borås Arena. Lindahl, 43, who earned 189 caps for Sweden during a storied career that included stints as a professional in England, Germany, and Spain, voiced her opposition in a social media post on Monday.
I just found out that Israel is going to play with its U17 team at Borås Arena in October. What do we think about that? I have no grudge against 17-year-old girls from Israel, but right now they represent a state that is committing genocide,
Lindahl wrote on social media, according to Aftonbladet.
Expanding on her comments in an interview with the Swedish outlet, Lindahl clarified that she does not hold the teenage players personally responsible. Instead, she pointed to historical sporting boycotts against South Africa during the apartheid era as a necessary precedent for applying international pressure.
Comparison to Russia’s Exclusion From UEFA Competitions
Lindahl argued that governing bodies display a double standard by permitting Israeli national teams to compete while Russia remains suspended from all UEFA and football competitions over its war in Ukraine. She noted that recent international fixtures involving Irish men’s teams and Israel have resulted in crowd disruption and security challenges.
Uefa and Fifa should make sure that such situations do not occur, as has been done with Russia. Representatives from Israel should be handled in the same way,
Lindahl told Aftonbladet, adding that athletes might potentially compete under a neutral flag if necessary.
Swedish Football Association Responds to Boycott Appeal
Following her public statements, Lindahl contacted the Swedish Football Association (SvFF) to present her position directly. Tobias Tibell, chief of staff at the association, confirmed the dialogue to Aftonbladet.
Hedvig has been in touch with us. We understand the commitment and that the match can provoke reactions. We have also had a dialogue with her,
Tibell said, explaining that the fixture is part of a standard UEFA tournament draw where Sweden was randomly selected as the host nation for the qualifying round.
Addressing the calls for a boycott, Tibell stated that the association adheres to international guidelines recently aligned with the Swedish Sports Confederation (Riksidrottsförbundet). Under these policies, sporting boycotts are not utilized as a standard political tool unless a nation is subject to binding United Nations or European Union sanctions relevant to athletics.
When it comes to Russia, if you look at football, the country is suspended by both Uefa and Fifa from participating in regular competitive activities. Because of the war of aggression that the country is waging against Ukraine. Israel, on the other hand, is not suspended,
Tibell told Aftonbladet.
Upcoming October Fixtures and Security Preparations
With UEFA confirming that Israeli national selections remain eligible to participate in current European qualification cycles and the UEFA Nations League, the Swedish Football Association’s primary operational focus centers on safety and event execution.
Based on our international guidelines, which were recently finalized, there is no basis for a boycott. Then our focus is to carry out the event as safely and securely as possible,
Tibell said.
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