Full Breakdown
War on Want Accuses Premier League Clubs of Sportswashing Israel’s Gaza Campaign
5/20/2026, 1:37:52 AM
Red Card Report Highlights Club Sponsorship Ties
War on Want released “Red Card: English Premier League Complicity in Israel’s Atrocities Against the Palestinians”. It named Arsenal, Brighton, Burnley and Everton for targeting pro-Palestinian staff or supporters, and identified nine clubs whose sponsors are linked to Israeli actions. Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City and Manchester United ranked highest for entanglement.
Sponsorship Links and Financial Flows
War on Want says at least 15 Premier League sponsors profit from Israel’s “genocide, illegal occupation and apartheid”. Cited tech firms include Canon, Cisco, Google/Alphabet, HPE, Oracle and Sony. Liverpool’s shirt sponsor Standard Chartered allegedly gave $15.4 billion to 24 complicit firms in 2025, while league sponsor Barclays has funded billions to 49 such firms.
Suppressed Pro-Palestinian Expression
Arsenal dismissed kitman Mark Bonnick after his criticism of Israel, though a Football Association inquiry found no misconduct. Brighton banned season-ticket holder Roger Wade for a Palestine shirt; an Everton fan reported denial. Burnley faced criticism after a consultant “liked” an anti-Palestinian post. Brighton academy coach Tomer Hemed posted an inflammatory message calling Palestinians “human animals” and urging they die in suffering.
Official Responses and Criticism
Arsenal said it found no evidence of antisemitism in Bonnick’s posts, a view echoed by Jewish anti-racism groups and the FA’s finding of no misconduct. War on Want, citing Neil Sammonds, argued that clubs champion equality while allegedly using sportswashing to shield corporations linked to serious human-rights violations. Sammonds questioned why English football appears hostile to peaceful pro-Palestinian expression, suggesting possible anti-Muslim bias or fear of alienating Israel-supporting audiences.
Conflicting Reports and Gaps
The report juxtaposes media claims that Bonnick’s posts were antisemitic with the FA’s finding of no misconduct, highlighting a lack of criteria for disciplinary action. It also notes that clubs have not disclosed how sponsorship revenue is screened for human-rights concerns, leaving corporate complicity unclear.
Verbatim Quotes
- “What remains unclear is why clubs and English football institutions can be so hostile to peaceful expressions of support and justice for Palestinians enduring genocide and apartheid,” — Neil Sammonds, War on Want
- “Arsenal appears to have prioritised seemingly prejudiced and racist views of those who targeted him online rather than its staff’s livelihood, wellbeing and rights - including the right to freedom of expression in support of people suffering genocide, illegal occupation and apartheid,” — War on Want
- “Human animals are not human!!! Monsters! Let them die a death of suffering!” — Tomer Hemed
- “Neil Sammonds, speaking for War on Want, said clubs speak proudly about equality, inclusion and community, but some are using sportswashing to sanitise corporations tied to some of the gravest crimes and humanitarian catastrophes of the time.” — Neil Sammonds, War on Want
What’s Next
War on Want urges clubs, sponsors and the Premier League to reassess commercial ties and adopt human-rights screening. The organization says future accountability will depend on whether any club or sponsor publicly addresses the report’s findings.
