Belgian City Bans Israeli Soccer Team Over Security Concerns
The city of Leuven, Belgium, has announced it will not permit Union Saint-Gilloise to host Hapoel Be'er Sheva at its stadium for a Europa League match, citing security concerns related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Mayor Mohamed Ridouani stated the decision during a city council meeting, explaining that the presence of an Israeli team posed a security risk.
Union Saint-Gilloise, which uses Leuven's stadium for its European games, must now find an alternative venue for the match scheduled for October 22. The club confirmed they are in discussions with relevant authorities to find a solution and will update fans once a decision is made.
Ridouani emphasized his consistent stance on the matter, recalling previous instances where he prevented Belgian national teams from playing against Israel in Leuven, including the women's national team and the senior team. He reiterated that the decision was made for public safety, even ruling out the possibility of the game being played behind closed doors due to potential attendance risks.
Despite this specific match being disallowed, Union Saint-Gilloise's other home games in the league stage against Celtic, Real Sociedad, and Lech Poznan are expected to proceed as planned in Leuven.
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