Football's world governing body FIFA has postponed its decision on a request from the Palestinian association regarding possible sanctions against the Israeli association.
According to FIFA, both parties have asked for an extension of the deadline.
According to the statement, "more time is needed to complete this process with due diligence and completeness". An assessment will now be submitted to the FIFA Council by August 31 at the latest.
With the postponement of the decision, it is certain that Israel will be allowed to participate in the men's Olympic football tournament.
The Palestinian association had submitted a request for "appropriate, immediate sanctions against Israeli teams" at the FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, in May. The association accuses Israel of violating international law, particularly in Gaza, and refers to FIFA statutes relating to human rights.
The Gaza war was triggered by the massacre carried out by terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups in Israel on October 7 last year. They killed 1,200 people, took 250 others hostage and abducted them to the Gaza Strip. According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, almost 39,000 Palestinians were killed in the ensuing war, although the figure, which is almost impossible to verify independently, does not distinguish between civilians and fighters.
