Paris
In a letter to Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) President, Mr. Aleksander Äeferin, Simon WiesenthalCentre Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels expressed shock at “the constant recidivism of the antisemitic behaviour of Feyenoord Rotterdam football Club of theNetherlands.”
The letter noted that:
“In November 2016, an Israeli sponsor of the Club was invited to a match where he heard fans chanting: ‘Hamas, Hamas, Jews to thegas!’ Determined to annul his sponsorship, an arbitration committee heard Feyenoord’s defence: ‘The chant was not antisemitic, but anti-Ajax Amsterdam" - A Team traditionally supported byJews before the Holocaust.’”
“In October 2017, Feyenoord fans used the photo of children - a five year and a two year old - wearing the Star of David in Lithuaniaduring World War II, who were then murdered after the photo was taken, to taunt their rival club.”
“We had protested to Feyenoord football Club management.”
Samuels continued: “On 5 May, last week’s ‘Netherlands Liberation Day from Nazi Occupation’, thugs wearing Feyenoord tee-shirtsassaulted a 35 year old Jewish man, after he protested their chant: ‘My father was in the commandos, my mother in the SS, together they burned Jews, because Jews burn the best!’..."
"Police on the scene reportedly did not intervene.”
The Centre urged UEFA “to take the strongest disciplinary measures as, apparently, the Dutch Football Association is unable tocontrol Feyenoord’s reputation sinking further, as their fans continue the hatefest.”
“Mr. President, our Centre has a project together with the Organization of American States (OAS) comprising 35 member-states, as alsowith the European Coalition of Cities Against Racism (ECCAR) with 158 member-cities, including Rotterdam ."...“The programme is entitled ‘11 Points against Racism in Football.’ We would bedelighted to share this with UEFA,” concluded Samuels.
The letter was shared with Benedetto Zacchiroli, President of ECCAR.
For further information, contact Shimon Samuels at +33 147 237 637, join the Center on Facebook, www.facebook.com/simonwiesenthalcenter, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sentdirect to your Twitter feed.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament(Parlatino).