The Times of Israel reported on Tuesday that global sportswear manufacturer Reebok requested the Israeli national football team to remove its logo from its uniforms.

According to Israeli media reports, the company conveyed its request through its local equipment supplier, MSG Group, asking that its branding be withdrawn from the team’s official kits.

Israeli football federation reacts

In response, the Israeli Football Association issued a statement saying: “We regret Reebok’s choice to surrender to unfounded boycott threats. There are clear laws that criminalize boycotts, and we will examine all available legal options.”

The incident comes amid a mounting wave of boycott actions against the Israeli occupation, spanning commercial, cultural, and sports sectors. Activists and civil society organizations have intensified campaigns in protest against the occupation’s ongoing war of genocide in Gaza and its escalating violations across Palestinian territories.

Growing calls to boycott Israeli regime

From cycling races in Spain to basketball arenas in Poland, the fallout from the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza is increasingly spilling into sports and cultural life across Europe.

Protests and boycotts are mounting, echoing the measures once deployed against Apartheid-era South Africa and, more recently, Russia after the beginning of the war in Ukraine.

A major cycling race in Spain was disrupted by demonstrators opposing the participation of an Israeli team. In Poland, fans booed the Israeli anthem before a Eurobasket match. Several European broadcasters are also threatening to boycott next year’s Eurovision Song Contest if "Israel" is permitted to compete.

The backlash reflects a growing call to isolate "Israel" internationally over the unbearable death toll and dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Critics argue that "Israel" should face the same exclusion that Russia encountered in 2022, when its athletes were banned from major competitions and forced to compete under a neutral flag.

Global sports bodies back Israeli occupation

So far, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and FIFA have resisted calls to act, alleging that "Israel" has not violated the same legal thresholds Russia crossed by "annexing Ukrainian territory." “This is different,” said Christophe Dubi, the IOC’s executive director for the Olympic Games, when pressed in Milan this week.